Life Forsakes Her
by Ravyne and Katt B
Summary: (Sequel to "Death Becomes Her") The curse is back with a vengeance and Kat isn't sure she'll survive long enough to see it finally broken. She knows these words. Evie had read the same ones from the same book over nine years ago. Time all but stops as the last three chants wash over her, each wave colder than the last. Before she can scream, cry, beg for help… The pain erupts.
1. Chapter 1

_Alright, here it is! As many of you are probably already aware, I lost my flash drive a few months back, one that held many of my novel works on it (personal and fanfictions alike) and a total of fifteen years of hard work. The sequel to my first 'Mummy' story was also on there. Thankfully I was able to get my **very** old flash drive to open up one last time long enough to grab all the old copies of my stories from before it kicked me off. So I don't have to start from the beginning! YAY!_

 _Anyhoo, after that, my new flash drive has been throwing tantrums left and right and not allowing me to save my work correctly so I had to restart lost chapters of the 'Mummy' sequel TWICE but I persevered! So I finally finished the sequel after FOUR tries and I can now present you with my finished work. I hope you enjoy it...despite the frustration it's caused!_

 _Also, I'm sure you've noticed (well, you have to have noticed since you're opened the story) that, unlike the last 'Mummy' story I did, this one doesn't have a_ forward. _I decided against it since this second part will be ended with an_ afterward...maybe. I'm not sure yet if I want to add it in since it doesn't have anything to do with the story _. The whole story is finished but I just also wanted to give y'all a heads up that my work hours have been increased so I may have to upload a few chapters at a time instead of posting the whole thing as I did with the first part._

 _And for your enjoyment, I also added in a few remarks in the story that were influenced from some of my other favorite books and movies. Comment when you find one!_

 _Thanks a bunch for your patience!_

 _-Ravyne_

 _(Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the 'MUMMY' movies or any of their characters. Just my characters Katherine and Bastet belong to me.)_

* * *

 **L** **ife** **F** **orsakes** **H** **er**

 **Chapter 1:**

You know your life is pretty much over when you spend six and a half straight months following someone on their heels for information on a guy that's supposed to be dead and buried under countless feet of sand and rock.

Yeah, that's her life now.

Kat brings the cup of coffee to her lips and takes a sip of the vile liquid casually as she flips the page of her book. Despite her hate of the drink, she forces herself to swallow for the simple show of being just another random citizen enjoying the morning coffee break before work. Sadly, it's the only cover she could put on in order to get close enough to her target to eavesdrop on the conversation taking place.

It's the man she's been following, dressed in a dark suit but sporting a headdress with a red, sheer scarf added to it that flows down his back, but today he joins a woman at the table a few paces away. She wouldn't have been paying the woman a lick of attention if she hadn't caused a pang of recognition in the back of Kat's mind. There's something familiar about the woman's dark olive toned skin, dark eyes, and straight dark hair, and it makes Kat's skin crawl.

She flips another page of her book, gazing down at the unseen letters, and takes another sip of coffee from the delicate cup as her ears strain to pick up the hushed conversation nearby.

The man sets down his cup and opens his hand towards the woman, revealing something round resting on his palm, "We've broken through to the next chambers. We should be nearing the exact room soon. Everything is just as you said."

"I knew it would be," the woman smiles darkly, picking up the round object in her delicate fingers and twirling it so that the light from the morning sun gleams off the top. Kat fights back the urge to look over and find out what she's holding. "We are right on schedule—it's almost time."

"We have only to get the bracelet from the O'Connell's and we'll have everything we need," the man nods in agreement.

This is all Kat needs to hear; knowing that her brother is involved now officially puts her involved. From here on out, she's no longer an eavesdropper. She sets down her cup, pulls out enough money to no doubt cover the bill and the tip, and then stands up casually so as to not draw attention to herself. She waves bye to the kind waitress and passes through the tiny gate they have set up around the patio in front of their shop. The vendor along the street outside of it passes her a flower which she trades for a few coins and thanks him warmly before bringing the tiger lily to her nose to smell it, a grin pulling at the corner of her mouth.

* * *

The sky is dark by the time she comes into sight of the mass gathering before her but bright spotlights have been lit that fill the night with unnatural light for the workers below to see by. The dig site has been going on for a while, Kat can tell by the massive holes the diggers have produced, but it's obvious they haven't found what they are looking for. They'd be celebrating by now if they had.

Moving deftly through the shadows made by the sand dunes along the edge of the dig site, Kat makes her way towards a tent along the edge of the massive hole. Shadows of people moving inside dance along the tent walls, voices murmuring quietly as they hurry along with their business, but none of them appear outside, giving her the perfect opportunity to make her way behind a stack of crates.

She pulls the material of the tent apart carefully where it's tied to the wooden posts and peeks inside. Two people are within the tent lit by lanterns while two guards stand outside. One she recognizes, the woman from the coffee shop a few days ago, but the other doesn't register. He wears the dark black and red of the other guards so he must be with the rest of them…perhaps they're all part of some kind of cult?

He turns around first, setting down a heavy looking book onto the table top in the center of the tent. Kat bites back a hiss; she knows this book. "The book of the dead gives life," he states.

The woman joins him by his side as she too sets down a nearly identical book, if not for the fact that it was made of gold instead of onyx, and smiles, "And the book of the living takes life away."

"I thought that was my job?" the taller man beside her replies darkly, his fingers wrapping around the sword hilt tucked inside his belt at his waist.

The woman returns his sinister leer as she stares down at the books with a look that says she knows way much more than she should, "We're getting close."

Kat ducks down behind the crates as two guards walk by, letting the shadows swallow her from their sight, and starts to work through all the information she's gathered so far.

These people have gathered both the book of the living and the book of the dead, they're still digging deeper through the remains of the lost city of the dead, and they were after a bracelet her brother apparently has in his current possession.

She's seen a few pieces of treasure from the hidden rooms the Pharaohs' used to hide away their riches in under Hamunaptra so they have clearly made it to that point of the temple, and yet they still dig further.

If gold is not on their list of things they're after then there's only one other thing they're here for. They're after Imhotep.

Rick had assured her that they had taken care of the mummy, that he had been buried with the city as it sank under the sands forever, so why are they after him if he's actually permanently dead now?

Kat swallows and starts to chew at her thumbnail, a nervous habit she's picked up recently. _There's no way they could bring him back to life. Rick made sure of it. He promised me_ , she tells herself.

A loud choir of exclaims and outbursts make her jump in alarm and tuck herself closer against the crates as people rush by in a flurry of chaotic movement. The shouts turn to cries of pain and screeches of agony but she keeps herself huddled away out of sight despite the terrifying sounds beyond. She'd wait until all were out of the way and then she'd make her way back towards the horse she had hidden away a few sand dunes away.

That plan, of course, changes the second she hears the woman inside the tent chuckle victoriously, "We're getting **very** close!"

The tent empties out as they all move towards the cars nearby and start the engines. She watches them from the shadows drive down a road dug out so that they could pull trucks into the pits as they dug them and disappear into the hole below. Kat uses the chance to sneak into the tent and take the books before they could use them for anything bad…only to find the books gone from the table.

 _Shoot!_ , she curses, looking back over her shoulder through the tent's doorway which they have positioned to overlook the dig site. Below, the cars have stopped at the bottom of the dig site and the doors are opening just as cheers begin to erupt nearby. A huge crane starts to pull something up nearby and the cheers become louder.

A few seconds later, what looks like a jagged, misshapen hunk of amber is hoisted up and then lowered a few feet away from the deep, dark hole it had come out of.

"We found him!" Distantly, Kat can hear someone below speak above the roar of the applause, "It's him! It's Imhotep!"

Kat's eyes widen in alarm as she backs out of the tent slowly, _I've got to get out of here. Rick has to know! This is bad!_

* * *

She pushes the motorcycle up to the big oak tree at the edge of the backyard and quickly finds a big branch to cover it with. Better to tell Rick herself that she's taken to riding the machines than him seeing it and making some crazy assumption.

Pulling up her hood again that had fallen to her shoulders after the short work, she flips it up over her hair to block out the mist hanging in the night air as she gazes up at the house before her. A few of the dark windows are lit up, giving away the presence of life inside, so she starts across the backyard and along the side of the huge house. She'll never understand why Rick wanted such a mansion; it's just so much more to clean!

Then again, he probably has enough to afford a maid so that wouldn't be too much of a bother for him. Evie on the other hand…Kat can't picture her allowing another woman, or anyone for that matter, in the house handling any of the antiques they have acquired over the years. As she passes by Rick's car, she runs her hand silently over the hood. It's still warm; the engine must've been just recently shut off.

They must've just gotten home not too long ago.

Distant thunder claps dangerously through the storm clouds rolling in above and Kat glances up at them warily. Movement catches her eye as she strolls by the next window and she pauses.

Alex is walking backwards through the room past the doorway beyond from where she stands by the window. She smiles happily, she hasn't seen her nephew in the last year and she's excited to see that he's still looking as cute as ever; sadly, he's grown another inch or two...or three.

The look of horror on his small face registers a second later in her mind and Kat's blood turns cold in her veins. There's a crashing sound of metal on metal from inside and it jars her into action. She pulls the wrap around her neck up over the bottom half of her face as she kicks off into a run. Her boots pound the ground as she races along the side of the house and around to the front door that has been left open. Two unknown cars are parked out in the front.

 _Please don't tell me they got here first!_ , she curses. The front doormat is kicked off the steps as she races over it and into the first front room of the house. The sounds of struggling become louder and she skids to a stop, trying desperately to figure out which room it's coming from.

Something heavy slams into the floor above her and she jerks her eyes to the ceiling in alarm. What the heck is going on?! How many of them are in the house?!

A machine gun starts firing off upstairs and a loud scream echoes from downstairs nearby.

"Whoa! Mom, where did you learn to do that?!" Alex yells from a few rooms away.

Her hands slip the knives out from their holsters hidden away along her belt under her shirt and she flips them silently into the air, taking a centering breath. Racing down the hall past the stairs, the sounds of metal on metal from an apparent sword fight get closer and closer as she runs. A man dressed in black and red, just as the cult members from the dig site had been, spins around as she approaches and starts to pull out a sword but she quickly leaps at him. Throwing her foot up against the wall, she pushes herself up into the air and quickly sweeps a kick to his face.

He falls to the floor with a heavy thud as she leaps over him and carries on down the hall. Skidding around the next two corners, she throws open the next door just as Alex is screaming out for his mother.

"Mom, look out!"

A man dressed in black and red attacks Evie from behind just as she's picking up a hefty looking chest and she falls to the floor unconscious. The man picks up her limp form and tosses her back over his shoulder as he carries her off down the hall and out of their sight before anyone can make a move to stop him.

Kat would have moved to go after them if not for the cult member who rushes at her from her right. She does a quick back step to avoid the blade coming down over her head and as the guy is thrown off balance, she shoves him forward into the wall where his head makes contact with a sharp _crack_.

She winces sympathetically.

Turning back to the only other pair left fighting in the room, Kat is forced to a stop and a cold sweat slips down the back of her neck at the man before her.

It's Ardeth. The very person she has tried so hard to avoid and forget for the past nine years. So long she's made herself numb to any thought of him, to any memory of him, to anything that would remind her of him. None of that training of course prepared her for actually seeing him in the flesh again.

She's just not ready for this—her heart shudders in her chest. She fights back the memories she has tried to block and forget from so long ago; their time at the library had been short but much too comfortable.

Things had gotten a bit out of hand…

 _No! Stop it, Kat! This is not the time!_ , Kat shakes her head against the onslaught of the memories trying to push their way back into her mind and she bites her tongue. Refocusing on the battle before her, she winces as Ardeth's opponent slices open his shoulder with the long sword and knocks him back over the back of a couch. His body lands with a dense _thud_.

Ardeth rolls quickly to his side and on to his feet as he grasps his injured shoulder and leans heavily against a wall for support. Kat swings her eyes back over to the other cult member, a tall man with a dark complexion. He spins around, flipping out a lethal looking knife, and Kat gasps.

It's the tall man she had seen with the woman at Hamunaptra. Seeing him in the full light of the house lamps and with the gleam of the blade in his hand, she finally recognizes him. She's seen him once before. He had been with the man she's been following for the last six months once before, a long time ago. He had caught her spying and thrown a knife at her, nicked her flesh just a hair as she had retreated, but had lost her as she dove into the river to escape.

She's seen him before, and she knows he'd remember her too…if he saw her face.

The man flips the blade and hurls it across the room at Ardeth who tenses up in alarm when he spies the attack too late. Kat moved long before he had though and catches the blade right before it can bury into Ardeth's face. Spinning around to gain momentum, she sends the blade flying right back at its owner.

He side steps the attack and the dagger embeds stiffly into the wall behind him. He throws a scowl at her just as Kat lowers the mask down off her face to rest again around her neck.

The man's expression flips from recognition to an even deeper anger, "You!"

Fighting back a grin, Kat flips out her own knife and readies to throw it at him only for him to spin in a flash and race down the same hall the other cult member had disappeared down. Growling in frustration, she rushes after him and hurls her knife at his vanishing figure but he dodges around the corner and her blade digs into the wall with a _thunk_.

"Aunt Kat!"

The voice of her young nephew startles her, making Kat spin around just as he comes racing up to her before she can bound off after the men, and she sinks to her knees to embrace him. Her arms tighten around him and his familiar warmth; geez, how she's missed him. His hugs had always been the first thing she wanted whenever she came to visit. She's been away far too long this time.

Coming to realization again of the issues going on around them, Kat grabs his shoulders and pushes him back out of her hug so she can look him over frantically, "Are you okay? Are you hurt? Did they hurt you?!"

"No, no! I'm fine!" Alex groans, rolling his eyes in clear annoyance.

Kat sighs in relief, climbs to her feet and kisses his forehead swiftly before hurrying down the hall after the intruders, "Good, stay here!"

"No way!" Alex cries as he hurries after her.

"Ugh! You get more like your mother every day!" Kat argues as she snatches her dagger out of the wall as she passes.

* * *

Author's Note:

Just FYI:

 _Italicized words:_ personal thoughts or sounds or words said in Egyptian language.

 ** _Italicized/Bolded words_** : power infused words of otherworldly beings said in Egyptian language (AKA: Imhotep or Bastet)


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2 is a go!_

 _Thanks a bunch for your patience!_

 _-Ravyne_

 _(Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the 'MUMMY' movies or any of their characters. Just my characters Katherine and Bastet belong to me.)_

* * *

 **Life Forsakes Her**

 **Chapter 2:**

The door slams open at her will and Alex races ahead, leaving her and Ardeth to try and keep up with his higher energy. Out in the yard, Kat can make out the familiar forms of her brother and Evie's brother, Jonathan, no doubt, but the sounds of squealing tires and then the firing of a machine gun makes her jump.

She quickly grabs Alex by his belt and jerks him backwards into her arms. Losing her balance, Kat curls him into her chest and falls to her side, leaving her back open to the gunfire instead of his own. She can feel Ardeth duck over them a split second later as a flurry of bullets flies over them in an explosion and his breath brushes over the top of her head.

 _Too close!_ , she winces as heat crawls up her neck from the contact.

The second the gunfire passes, Alex squirms his way out of her grasp and races across the yard towards his dad. Kat sits up breathlessly and stares off down the gravel driveway at the two cars disappearing into the night. Next to her, Ardeth takes a moment to catch his breath as well before climbing to his feet and offering her a hand silently.

Kat swallows, keeping her eyes averted carefully, and climbs to her feet without his help before going after her nephew. Rick is holding his son close to him as they approach, looking him over as Kat had done and asking if he's alright. As he turns towards them, Kat nods a silent greeting to Jonathan who pulls her into a hug instead. She laughs despite her exhaustion.

"O'Connell," Ardeth greets Rick with a respectful nod of his head but Rick answers his friendly greeting with rage. Everyone jumps as he grabs fists full of Ardeth's robes and swings him around to slam him against the stone lawn ornament decorating the gravel turn-around in their front yard.

Kat pulls Alex back out of the way and holds him close to her as they watch the two men go at it.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Rick demands.

"Hey!" Kat exclaims, making both of them turn towards her. She avoids Ardeth's dark gaze as she continues, "As much as I would love to watch you two apes go at each other's throats, can we please focus on the problem at hand here?"

Rick's anger intensifies suddenly as his hand lashes out and grabs her by the front of her shirt and drags her closer to him, "Where the hell have you been?! You haven't written to us in almost ten months!"

"Well, I can-."

"We thought you were dead!"

"And I'm sorry but-."

Rick jerks her a little again as he cuts her off once more, "You couldn't at least call? Or anything?!"

Grinding her teeth angrily, Kat jabs her fingers forward, hitting the pressure point in his shoulder, and his grip goes limp on her shirt. She grabs his hand and twists it backward sharply. Rick's grasp on Ardeth falls as he grabs his own arm from the pain.

"I can explain later, now is not the time. Your wife was just kidnapped by cult members hell-bent on raising the dead! So focus for a second!" Kat snarls at her brother as he stands back up to full height.

"What do you mean, 'raising the dead'? What are you talking about?" Rick demands. His gaze swings to Ardeth, "Do you know something about this?"

Ardeth opens his mouth to reply but Rick just cuts him off furiously, "No, scratch that, I don't care. Who the hell are those guys and where are they taking my wife?!"

"My friend," the madjai warrior grabs Rick by the shoulders to steady him, "I'm not sure, but where ever this man is your wife will surely be." He pulls out a black and white photo and Kat does a double take, leaning in over her brother's shoulder to get a better look. It's the man she's been following for the last six months…only something's off.

"Hey!"

The picture is snatched out of Ardeth's hand and vanishes. They all look down at Alex who gazes at the picture excitedly.

"I know him. He's the curator. He works at the British museum," Alex explains.

Kat takes the picture back from him with a stern look, "Alex, we don't snatch things from people. It's rude." She takes a closer look at the picture and sure enough, there's a slight difference in the face before her, "Are you sure this is the curator? This looks like his twin."

"He has a twin?" Alex, Rick, and Jonathan ask in union.

Kat swallows and quickly passes the picture back to Rick, "Another story for another time. We really should be going."

They all hurry around the side of the house where Rick's car waits for them. Rick sighs heavily as they slow to a jog, then to a walk, and starts battering Ardeth with questions, "Okay, you're here, bad guys are here, and Evie's been kidnapped. Let me guess."

"Yes," Ardeth nods, "They once again removed the creature from his grave."

"I don't mean to point fingers, but isn't it your job to make sure that doesn't happen?" Jonathan barks.

Ardeth shakes his head and holds up his hands to defend his point, glancing between the two men, "The woman who is with them, she knows things, things that no living person could possibly know. She knew exactly where the creature was buried. We were hoping she would lead us to the bracelet. She obviously did, and now they have it."

Kat reaches into the black kimono-like top she wears and into the pocket she had sewn into the inside of it, pulling out a picture she had taken a few months back. Handing it to her brother, she spills her information, "Her name is Meela. She's the reincarnation of…what's-her-face…the girl the mummy loved. I can never pronounce it right."

"And how do you know this?" Rick asks, eyeing her suspiciously.

"I've been following the curator guy for the past six months after he stole something of mine…okay, well, he stole something from the thief I was stealing it from but, again, that's a whole other story! Anyway, I've seen her meet up with him and recognized her for some reason so I followed as close as I could and did some digging," Kat explains.

"So that's how she knows so much," Rick replies with an irritated shake of his head. "And now they have my wife and the bracelet."

"I wouldn't get too nervous just yet," Alex speaks up from his pace between Kat and Rick. They all stop as he pulls up the sleeve off his right arm to expose a bracelet of pure gold that is decorated with a huge scorpion with the head of a dog.

Ardeth takes the boys arm in his hands, gazing down at the bracelet in wonder as everyone circles in closer for a better look. Jonathan gaps like a greedy fish, "Is that gold?"

"When I stuck it on, I saw the pyramids at Giza, and then _whoosh_! Straight across the desert to Karnak," Alex tells them.

"By putting this on, you have started a chain reaction that could bring about the next apocalypse," Ardeth answers breathlessly. Alex pales in seconds with a horrified gasp.

"Oh, smart move, genius. Scar the kid for life. You're gonna make a great father one day," Kat spits sarcastically at the man while carefully avoiding his sharp gaze.

Before Ardeth can shoot anything back at her Rick jabs a finger towards her face, "You: shut up." He points at Ardeth, then Alex, and the Jonathan in turn, "You: lighten up. You: big trouble. And you: get in the car."

Kat runs around the backside of the house while the men are loading into the car and grabs her weapons bag off the back of her motorcycle before running back. Rick waits with one foot in the car on the driver's side for her so he can jab a finger at the passenger side of the car, "You, sit in the front. We need to talk."

 _Oh, crap_ , she thinks. Throwing her bag into the back seat, she opens up the front passenger door and bites back a panicked hiss. Ardeth moves to the center so she can climb in. _God, I hate you, Rick!_ , she curses her brother silently with an eye roll as she stiffly lowers herself into the front seat of the vehicle and shuts the door after her, pressing herself as close to it as she possibly can. The small distance between them suddenly has goosebumps shivering across her skin; she pushes the thought out of her mind.

Rick starts the car and floors it backwards towards the front yard, whirls it around to face the opposite direction, and then tears down the driveway furiously. Kat keeps her eyes down and busies herself with checking over her person to make sure all her knives are still in their proper sheaths. She pulls her knee up to her chest as she begins with the blades at her ankles while Rick and Ardeth catch up on everything that's going down.

"I am sorry if I alarmed your son," Ardeth apologizes hurriedly, "But you must understand, now that the bracelet is on his wrist we have only seven days before the Scorpion King awakens."

"We?! What we?" Rick snaps.

"If he is not killed, he will raise the army of Anubis," Ardeth fights back a heavy sigh, frustrated that Rick refuses to let go of his frustration and focus on the problem at hand.

"I take it that's not a good thing," Jonathan asks curiously from the back seat.

"Oh, he'll wipe out the world," Rick answers sarcastically, grinning back at his brother-in-law.

Jonathan rolls his eyes as he sits back in his seat once more, "The old 'wipe out the world' ploy."

Kat shakes her head and speaks up against her better judgement, "Hold on, someone fill me in on what's going on here? What's the deal with this bracelet and who's this Scorpion King?"

"The bracelet is supposedly some kind of map that leads you to the location of the Scorpion King who is a really evil guy that wakes up after five thousand years of being imprisoned by Anubis to take over the world with an undead army if he's not killed in time," Rick summarizes as quickly as he can.

"Oh," Kat blinks.

"Whomever can kill the Scorpion King can send his army back to the underworld or use it to destroy mankind and rule the earth," Ardeth adds, his eyes avoiding hers as he keeps them centered out the front windshield of the car.

"What is it will evil people and wanting to rule the world? Why not start with a small town, then maybe a country, and then maybe try for the whole world. That's way more realistic," Kat mumbles mostly to herself as she pulls out the knife at her calf and looks over the blade to make sure it's clean before sliding it back into the sheath.

"So that's why they dug up Imhotep 'cause he's the only guy tough enough to take out the Scorpion King."

"That is their plan," Ardeth nods to Rick.

"Wait how can they possibly be able to bring Imhotep back to life? I thought you took care of him?" Kat inquires, glancing around Ardeth to question her brother.

"I did-."

"Knowing you, they probably won't be able to recognize if it's even Imhotep or not. They'll need to sew him back together to even have a place to start," Kat chuckles, knowing how much her brother wanted to carve the cursed mummy apart last time they faced him after he got too close to killing Evie.

"Sticking a sword through him wasn't enough to cut him in half, Kat. When did you start getting so violent?"

Kat's fingers stop cold around the blade she fiddles with and she drops her foot back down to the floor board with a dull thud, "I blame the legionnaire and what do you mean you stuck a sword through him?"

Rick shrugs and nods, "Evie read from one of those crazy books, sent his immortal soul to the underworld so he would be mortal, and then I was able to jab the sword into him and kill him. He kinda stepped off into a pool of black icky stuff and sank into it as he deteriorated so-."

"Hold on!" They all jump at Kat's outburst. She's started to breathe rather laboriously and her face has gone sickeningly pale as she turns her wide eyes towards her brother, "What do you mean, he sank into a ' _pool of icky black stuff_ '?! You mean to tell me, you didn't even cut off a finger? Anything?!"

Rick turns into the driveway of the museum and slows down as he glances at his sister warily, "Well, I got around to cutting his arm off but that was before we turned him mortal so he just put it back on."

By this time, Ardeth has gone eerily silent and pale as well, staring down at his hands with a crushed look on his face.

"What's going on? What do you two-?"

"You have to cut him apart, Rick!" Kat screams, her anger bursting out of her in a rain of horrified panic. "That's the only way to get rid of the curse that was on me completely!"

Rick gaps for a second, fighting to find the words lost in his throat, "I didn't-."

"Stop the car!" Kat demands.

He slows to a stop, the rain that had begun to cry from the sky now lightening up to a soft drizzle, and she kicks the door open to the awaiting night. With a quick jerk as she passes towards the back of the vehicle, Kat snatches her weapons bag out of the back seat and then goes to rip open the trunk so she has something to set it down on.

Her anger heats her blood up like fire and her heart pounds in her ears as the dread tears at her insides. Hot, livid tears sting her eyes but she fights them back with every ounce of strength she has. By the time the rain comes to a slow stop, she's soaked from head to foot; she can't feel the cold it leaves across her skin despite the fact. The only thought that seems to be able to form in her chaotic mind is that she's still cursed. After all these years of shaking off those horrific memories of being a slave to the weapon, it has still found some way to come back and haunt her. It just wouldn't die would it?

Her mind barely registers the sound of car doors opening a little while later as her hands move deftly to sharpen any dull blades on her person and Rick pauses by her side. Opposite her, she can see Ardeth's dark clad form hover warily on her other side silently.

Their silence does nothing but rile her more, her voice snapping out like a whip, "If you're going to talk then talk!"

"I'm sorry," Rick touches her shoulder and squeezes gently. Kat immediately closes her eyes and draws in a deep breath. "Hey," her brother grabs her other shoulder and turns her carefully towards him so she's forced to look up at him. "I'm sorry. I am. If I'd known that-."

"Geez, Rick, it's not your fault. How the heck could you have known anyway? I didn't even know until about a month after that lunatic was dead." She sighs and drops her eyes to her hands where they fiddle with the hem of the kimono top tucked into her pants. "I'm not mad at you. I could never be mad at you for something like this. I'm sorry I yelled at you. I'm sorry-."

Rick pulls her into a tight hug before she can finish and whispers into her ear as he rocks her a bit like he used to when they were younger, "This isn't your fault either, kid. We're going to fix this. I won't let anything happen to you."

A tiny smile pulling at the corner of her mouth, Kat moves her arms out from between them so she can wrap them around her brother to hug him back.

"Now," after a moment he grabs her shoulders and pulls her back so he can gaze at her seriously, "You want the shotgun?"

Kat's smile falters and she shakes her head, "I have got twenty knives on me, Rick. I think I'm good."

"Guns are better."

"You always say that."

"And I'm always right."

Kat scoffs, "Yeah, like that theory's ever been proven."

"Are you going in dressed like that?" Rick avoids her bait and points to her outfit skeptically.

She gawks down at herself and then back up at him in alarm, "What's wrong with my outfit?!"

Rick's gaze eyeballs her questioningly, "It's not exactly practical for a woman."

Her eyes narrow as he turns to the trunk, "Again, I blame the legionnaire and you for dragging me along."

"Hold on, you followed me in the last time I checked, remember? No one dragged you anywhere; you could've stayed behind."

Kat laughs as she picks up her weapons bag off the trunk out of his way, "Oh yeah, as if you could go anywhere alone and be able to take care of yourself. That's a laugh." She drops her bag on the bench a few paces away and opens up the zipper wider so she can dig into the few clothes she owned within. Rick ignores her as he opens the back of the trunk and reveals his own stash of weaponry. He and Ardeth begin discussing which guns they wanted, distracting them enough so that Kat can pull off her wet kimono top. Somehow the forest green shirt underneath has remained somewhat dry despite the downpour.

It's a simple tank top that she most always wears under all her outfits nowadays; it made it easier to change on the run if she needed to. With the wide sleeved kimono top off, her arms are free of the extra fabric which allows her to move easier if she needs to. Rick was right; for a situation like they're about to go into the kimono would've been less practical.

Suddenly Ardeth's voice changes behind her, taking on a much more serious tone, and she can't help but focus in on their conversation.

"If I were to say to you, 'I'm a stranger traveling from the east, seeking that which is lost…'"

Kat slows to a stop and looks back over her shoulder, meeting her brother's gaze which is just as startled as hers. Without meaning to, they both answer him in union, "Then I would reply that 'I am a stranger traveling from the west, it is I whom you seek'."

Ardeth's expression lifts warily, obviously shocked that they have both answered him, glances between them. When the conversation shows no signs of going nowhere, the madjai grabs Rick's wrist and holds it out towards Kat. She glances down at her brother's wrist at the tattoo there which she's grown up knowing, then with a confused shrug she pulls off the thick bracelet of leather that circles her own right wrist and holds it out towards them in response.

The same tattoo marks her as well.

"Then it is true," Ardeth breathes.

"What is?" Kat wonders out loud before she can clamp her mouth shut.

The madjai motions to the marks they both have tattooed into their skins, "You both have the sacred marks."

"What, these?" Rick asks as he pulls his hand from the warriors; they both ignore Kat's scoff. "No, these got slapped on us in an orphanage in Cairo."

"Those marks mean you two are protectors of man, warriors for God, Madjai," Ardeth urges.

"Sorry," Rick shakes his head.

"You've got the wrong people," Kat finishes.

* * *

Author's Note:

Just FYI:

 _Italicized words:_ personal thoughts or sounds or words said in Egyptian language.

 ** _Italicized/Bolded words_** : power infused words of otherworldly beings said in Egyptian language (AKA: Imhotep or Bastet)


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3 is a go!_

 _Thanks a bunch for your patience!_

 _-Ravyne_

 _(Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the 'MUMMY' movies or any of their characters. Just my characters Katherine and Bastet belong to me.)_

* * *

 **Life Forsakes Her**

 **Chapter 3:**

The halls of the inner museum are deathly quiet. And dark. Can't forget dark. Kat grabs hold of the edge of a nearby table or something to keep from falling flat on her face for the fourth time in a row as she trips over something hidden in the shadows.

"Geez, why couldn't you grab a flashlight?" she hisses quietly.

"We're trying to be incognito," Rick replies from her left as they move silently around the museum pieces in the room.

She shoots a look his way, "We're two ex-legionnaires with possible records and a sacred warrior from the deserts of Egypt. There's nothing 'incognito' about us!"

Sweeping the room and then down another hall, they come to a pause just inside the next room as the silhouette of a sentry comes into the light from the window nearby. Rick nods to Kat, throwing her a hand signal to which she nods to, and then they all slip into the shadows of the room. Kat comes to huddle behind a statue and digs into her pocket for something to use. A pen she'd picked up from…somewhere appears in her hand.

 _That'll work_ , she shrugs. Glancing around the statue to make sure the sentry isn't facing her direction, she tosses the pen across the room and it bounces across the marble floor with a few loud _clacks_! The sentry spins towards the noise, lifts his gun and…

Rick and Ardeth appear behind the guard, her brother wrapping a hand over the man's mouth to keep him from raising an alarm while the madjai throws a quick jab into his neck. The sentry passes out and falls to his knees. They lower him quietly to the floor.

Kat approaches them, staring down at the still form of the guard, "Now what?" Rick shushes her and she glares at him, "Are you kidding me? That's the only guard we've come across since we broke in here? What are the chances there's going to be another one nearby?"

"Just keep your voice down and move," Rick hisses. Down another hall and into the next room, a soft humming begins to build around them. Kat throws her brother a questioning look to which he just shrugs. As they move around the artifacts, the humming builds and intensifies, becoming words that chant a rhythmic song from somewhere on the grounds.

A cold, nervous sweat starts to build on Kat's neck, _Why the heck does that sound familiar to me?!_

A flash of lightning and a roll of thunder highlight the room and give them a better look around as they shift silently along. Long caskets from ancient Egyptian times line the center of the room, some with mummies sleeping within while others sport glass tops to protect the artifacts displayed inside. Kat wouldn't mind coming to check this place out sometime…maybe when it was brighter out…and less creepy.

The chanting intensifies, sending a shiver through her like a cold wave and a loud, unearthly scream makes them all jump in alarm. Nearby, a mummy comes to life inside a glass case on the other side of Ardeth and Rick, making them shift uneasily away from the glass only to jump back as another comes to life behind them. It jars up like a spring from the coffin between them in the center of the room and Kat reacts on instinct, jerking out a knife and embedding it into the center of its head. The shriveled up mummy falls limply back into its death bed.

All around the room, mummy carcasses are coming to life banging on their glass prisons, eager to escape and answer the rhythmic call of the spell being sung to life into the night.

Kat's breath becomes shaky, coming out in choppy panicked gasps. Both of the men turn to her as she speaks, her voice small and full of dread, "They're reading from the book."

She takes off out of the dark room, the lightning flashing around her, and into the next one beyond. They take off after her, staying hot on her heels as she moves to a doorway to a balcony overlooking the courtyard below. Torches are lit everywhere, forming a circle within the piles of crates and boxes with Egyptian artifacts and treasures. Within the circle of torches, men in black and red are knelt in a circle as well, bowing in time with the chants and speaking their own as well. Within their circle, there's a table that has been set off to one side where the form of a woman is curled up while on the other side a man is singing the chant into the air with his hands stretched out over the pages of an all too familiar black book.

"Anybody got a plan of attack?" Kat asks in a shaky voice.

"I got a plan," Rick says as he cocks his gun with a loud click, "Attack."

Ardeth grabs the man's shoulder before he can run off in a rage, "That is not a plan. If we are not careful, we could all be killed-."

"So you'd rather my sister go back under the whip or my wife to be eaten by some undead dead mummy?!"

"You know I do not but we have to be smart about this!" Ardeth argues back.

Kat opens her mouth to cut them both off for acting so childish but her words are halted. The chant changes. The words switch to new ones. She knows these words. Evie had read the same ones from the same book over nine years ago.

Time all but stops as the last three chants wash over her, each wave colder than the last. Before she can scream, cry, beg for help…

The pain erupts.

* * *

Evelyn pulls at her restraints feebly, unable to stop the chaos and horror from unfolding before her. Hafez, the curator of the British museum and someone she thought was her friend, reads the cursed words from the black book and the giant, misshapen blob of hardened stone shatters into thousands of pieces.

The beast is released and awakened once more.

His vengeful, beastly roar is mirrored by another that shatters the night a little ways off. The air is filled with electricity as the grotesque, decomposing body of the fallen priest stalks around the remains of his stone tomb and takes in his surroundings. Hafez has dropped to his knees as well at the sight of the creature.

Evie breathes his name despite her rising fear, "Imhotep."

The creature's voice, filled with ancient power and authority, calls out in ancient Egyptian that is perfectly clear to her ears, " _ **What year is it?**_ "

Hafez carefully rises to his feet before the mummy, obviously to show his position among the men present, and answers in Egyptian as well, " _My lord, it is the Year of the Scorpion._ "

" _ **Truly?!**_ "

Hafez nods, " _Yes!_ "

Another beastly scream pierces the night and everyone in the court yard jerks to life, spinning towards the main building as a lethal looking figure comes hurling off of a small balcony above and lands gracefully on the cobblestone below. Evie recognizes her instantly and a mixture of relief and alarm sweeps over her.

Imhotep was reawakened…what would that mean for her…?

Across the court yard, Kat stands to her full height, a few strands of her dark hair falling around her face after coming loose from the bun at the back of her head. She raises her eyes but instead of the bright, warm green eyes Evie and her family have come to know and love, she's met with the gaze of the cursed weapon of legend.

Eyes blazing a neon green, the weapon screams an animalistic cry and lifts a deadly looking spear that seemed to appear out of nowhere over her head. With unnatural speed, the weapon races forward and zeroes in on the mummy for the kill.

Evie wants to scream out in triumph but Imhotep acts before she can. He speaks something low into the air, something that makes the air around him shiver with a red power, and then he lifts his hand towards the weapon as it closes the distance between them. The weapon lifts the spear higher, the deadly tip thrusting down to impale Imhotep through the heart, but the red haze pulses out around her and she stops cold as stone.

"No!" Evie screams into her bound hands.

The weapon struggles against the hold of the red power, eyes remaining aimed at Imhotep and face stern with the weight of her purpose. A second later, a terrible shudder rips through the weapon and she convulses to the ground in a frail heap at Imhotep's feet.

The creature laughs victoriously and the men return to their bows before him in absolute awe of his power, " _ **Even the weapon, forged by the gods, has no power over me. They will watch as I destroy this world and turn these pathetic creatures into slaves.**_ "

A new voice unknown to Evie's ears speaks up in the ancient language to answer his claim, shaky at first but rising in similar strength and power, " _ **You…were once…a slave too. Know your place, betrayer!**_ "

Evie's gasp catches in her throat as the weapon sits up and lifts its gaze…only it's not her gaze. This is a different person all together. These eyes glow the same bright green only cat-like slits stand out within the light. The gaze is like looking into the eyes of hatred and anger and rage itself. This woman knows nothing but the need of revenge and death. Evie turns her eyes away from the darkness seething there. Her blood runs cold in her veins.

Imhotep turns slowly to face the woman on the ground, his decomposed lips pulling slightly in amusement, " _ **Bastet.**_ "

The strange woman with Kat's face response with a heated hiss as if daring him to speak her name again.

" _ **You have no place to speak to me, not one who has fallen so low beneath me.**_ "

" _ **Do not test me, traitor! Do not get comfortable in your stolen life! I will destroy you with my own hand—you will pay!**_ "

" _ **Empty threats from such a pathetic being,**_ " Imhotep sneers. " _ **You are no match for me now. You cannot stand before me broken as you are.**_ "

The woman scream in rage, tearing to her feet and lashing out with what looks to be claws, only to be stopped as Imhotep raises his hand. The red haze pulses back to life around her and she's lifted into the air as her body seizes uncontrollably and screaming in agony.

With a whip of his bony hand through the night air, the woman's scream is cut off and her body falls limp to the ground, unmoving. Evie wants to cry out in horror but it's choked to a stop in her throat. All she can do is clasp her shaking hands against her mouth and try to hold back her tears.

There's no way this is happening.

There's no way that Kat can be dead.

Imhotep laughs maniacally filling the night air with a dark, cold feeling but he's cut short as the sound of doors opening fills the courtyard. The creature turns to investigate and Evie follows his gaze, spotting a gaudily dressed woman of copper skin and straight dark hair walking towards them gracefully. A strange kind of pressure she's become familiar with recently presses into Evie's skull and her eyes flutter against the vision that floods across her sight.

The modern woman coming towards them is replaced by another from a different era long, long ago. Decorated with fine jewelry and silks and painted with elaborate details that grace her arms and legs and face. She looks to be of noble status and Evie can feel a strange sense of familiarity come over her but she's unable to place it before the vision washes away all too quickly.

As the modernly dressed woman enters the circle of torches and cult members, she stops before Imhotep who appraises her appreciatively. The woman shows no signs of being disgusted by his monstrous appearance.

Hafez steps up as the silence between the two stretches on for a minute or two longer, "Do not be frightened."

The woman's mouth pulls in a slight smile at the curator's statement but she doesn't let her gaze leave Imhotep's, "I am not afraid." Continuing on, the woman addresses Imhotep directly, speaking ancient Egyptian as if it were born from her tongue, " _I am Anck-su-namun reincarnated._ "

The creature chuckles lightly, moving closer to her and almost seeming to enjoy the woman's bravery. His fingers trail over her shoulders and hair amorously as he speaks to her, " _ **Only in body. But soon…I shall bring your soul back from the Underworld…and our love shall once again be whole.**_ "

Hafez turns his back on the instant love-birds and walks away towards a small table nearby, the head commander of his cult following close at his heels. Evie wants to investigate what it is they are going to do but she can't seem to pull her eyes away from the strange attraction between Imhotep and the reincarnated woman in front of her.

A bad feeling is twisting in the pit of her stomach and she doesn't know why. As subtly as she can, she starts to try and pull at the ropes binding her wrists together; she has to get out of here.

The reincarnated woman leans in close to Imhotep who reflects her movements eagerly as she whispers to him, " _I have a gift for you._ "

She motions with her eyes towards Evie who freezes in response, eyes going wide. Imhotep's gaze lands on her a second later and his features flood with hatred as he recognizes her, " _ **Her?!**_ "

" _I knew it would please you to watch her die_ ," the dark haired woman sneers in Egyptian before snapping her fingers sharply. Responding instantly to the cue, men that Evie hadn't noticed before climb up out of their kneeling positions around her and turn to face her. Their hands take up the beams sticking out of the table she's been placed on and lift. Evie rocks unsteadily as she's lifted into the air and carried away through the circle. Her eyes instantly lock on Kat's still body, mentally begging for her to come back to life, but she's only met with the young woman's ever paling flesh.

She tries to leap off the table but other men around the circle grab hold of her hands and feet and pin her down as if in some kind of trance and receiving internal orders from an unknown source.

A roaring that blazes brightly inside of a rectangular stone fireplace seems to rage louder as if sensing their approach hungrily and Evie realizes with sickening horror that she's going to be its next meal. The flames spiral higher and brighter, turning the night around it into an almost daylight.

"Oh my God," Evie chokes out as her blood runs cold in her veins, staring into the bright flames nauseatingly.

Across the circle from behind her, she can hear the resurrected Imhotep call out in Egyptian to her in a mock farewell, " _ **The underworld awaits you.**_ "

"You wait! I'll put you in your grave again!" Evie shouts back, throwing the beast what she hopes to be a fierce look of determination despite the chaotic fear eating away at her insides.

"Our thinking was not if we put you in your grave first," Hafez responds to her threat as he suddenly appears behind her.

Imhotep shouts out an order to the cult members carrying her but it's the reincarnated woman who solidifies the demand in sharp English, "Burn her!"

Evie turns to glare at Hafez, wishing with every fiber of her being that she could strike the man down for his betrayal but, before her curse can fully leave her mouth, the cult members lift her and begin to tilt the table top she sits on towards the angry flames that dance eagerly in anticipation. She screams out as she starts to slide off the solid wood…

"Agh!"

Leaping over the flames, the figure of her one true love lands feet first on one side of the platform and his sudden added weight forces the men at the front to collapse to their knees and fall. The slab tilts and throws Evie forward over Rick's shoulder in perfect unison and he carries her off behind a stack of crates just as a flurry of bullets fire off in their direction. Rick flips out his knife as soon as he sets her down and she holds out her bound feet and hands so he can free her with a single swipe to each binding.

Tossing her a gun, they share a nod before both leaning out around the crates to fire back at the cult members beyond. Two men fall back into the fires they had planned to drop Evie into and the woman silently sends up a quiet thanks. Somewhere in the chaos, Rick had moved forward into the disarray and picked up the limp form of his sister and thrown her lifeless body over his shoulder just as he had with Evie.

"Let's move up!" he calls to his wife as he motions back with his head towards the metal stairs leading up to the balcony above where their good friend and ally, Ardeth, was busy providing cover fire for their escape.

One of the cult members falls from a stray bullet to the head and Rick pauses momentarily at the sight that appears on the wooden storage shelves behind the rest of the cult behind him. A familiar skull and cross bones logo paints the box and Rick silently wonders what kind of museum would need that kind of chemical.

He takes special aim and fires at the box. The explosion sets off a chain reaction to the other similar boxes lined up around it and the effect is massive. The rain of bullets dims in response and gives them the time they need to race up to the top of the stairs and join Ardeth who continues to provide them with cover fire.

A power filled voice stops them to a halt at the top, " _ **Collect your bones! Gather your limbs! Shake the earth from your flesh! Your Master is here!**_ "

They all stare down at the creature who now holds an intricate pot over his head and jerks off the canister lid so that the sands within can be released. The gravel swirls through the air as if alive and then spills back down the to earth in four separate pillars, each forming a warrior clad mummy that stands erect and ready for orders.

"Oh, no, not these guys again!" Rick swears as they all turn to make for the doorway. Behind them Evie can hear Imhotep order for their destruction and the unearthly scream from the warrior mummies in response.

Their feet beat faster in haste against the marble floors of the museum as they make their escape.

* * *

Author's Note:

Just FYI:

 _Italicized words:_ personal thoughts or sounds or words said in Egyptian language.

 ** _Italicized/Bolded words_** : power infused words of otherworldly beings said in Egyptian language (AKA: Imhotep or Bastet)


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4 is a go!_

 _Thanks a bunch for your patience!_

 _-Ravyne_

 _(Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the 'MUMMY' movies or any of their characters. Just my characters Katherine and Bastet belong to me.)_

* * *

 **Life Forsakes Her**

 **Chapter 4:**

Ardeth had expected that their escape route would be a tricky one but he hadn't expected the creature to be released with more power than he had wielded last time. He was already much stronger than he had been the previous time the O'Connell's had accidentally raised him from the dead.

Outside, Rick skips to a stop abruptly and Ardeth pauses in response curiously. His answer is to have Kat's wilted, cold body passed carefully into his care and for Rick to jab a finger at him threateningly, "Get her to the car."

The short command is all that's needed to snap Ardeth from his momentary awkward pause and turn to do as he's told.

"Honey, whatcha doing?!" Rick chuckles nervously as he turns around to grab his wife's wrist who is busy trying to pull a nearby bench in front of the door they had just burst through. "These guys don't use doors!"

Ardeth rounds the side of the building and-.

Well he comes to a rapid halt. The car that was meant to be their final escape is empty and abandoned with no sign of Jonathan or the O'Connell's son anywhere in sight. He shifts his hold on Kat's body, her head lulling to the side, and a faint wisp of breath brushes against his neck.

His breath stop in his chest and he goes still, listening. Just under the eerie silence lingering over her, Ardeth can make out the murmur of a barely audible moan from somewhere deep in her chest and relief washes over him in a flush of heat.

He sends up a silent prayer but is unable to allow the moment to really settle over him because the O'Connell's come jogging around the corner behind him. Ardeth washes all emotion from his face and buries the feelings deep inside.

"Where the hell's Jonathan?!" Rick demands.

As if on cue, there's a honk of an overly loud horn followed by an even louder roar of an engine. Turning the corner a double decker bus pulls up beside the forgotten car and Jonathan smiles hesitantly down at them from the driver's seat.

"Alex!" Evie exclaims the second she spies her son behind his uncle and a wide, loving smile breaks out across her face. A second later, she's ushering Ardeth towards the back of the bus, "Come, let's get her onboard!"

"What's the matter with my car?" Rick gawks at Jonathan.

"Well, I was…forced to find an alternative means of transportation-."

"A double decker bus?!" Rick snaps, cutting him off.

Jonathan quickly jabs a finger back at Alex behind him as his face pales, "It was his idea!"

Was not!" Alex argues.

"Was too!"

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Just go!" Rick orders as he rushes to hop on the bus behind Ardeth.

"Lay her here," Evie tells Ardeth as she motions towards the long seats spanning the length of the back half of the bus. He sets her down, hiding his hesitating thought of having her out of his arms. He ignores the thoughts and sets her down gently anyway so that Evie can have a look over her. She presses two fingers against the unconscious young woman's neck to which Ardeth's eyes widen in response the second he notices the Egyptian hieroglyphic like tattoos circling her throat now. Had those been there last time?

Evie's gasp is filled with both relief and amazement, "My God, she's still alive!"

Ardeth ignores the second flash of heat that radiates through his chest, "What did the creature say to her? I was unable to hear."

Evie shakes her head slowly, "I honestly can't say. I was so shocked…everything happened so fast. I think I heard something about…'broken', 'shattered', maybe 'alone'..."

The bus engine roars as Jonathan pops it into gear and they start to move. Evie rushes to her feet when Rick suddenly exclaims, "No, no! Not my car!"

Ardeth turns to look out the back window of the bus just in time to see the warrior mummies leaping off of what's left of Rick's destroyed vehicle and continue on after them with inhuman speed and agility.

"Oh, I hate mummies," Rick grumbles sourly as his glare pierces through the back window to their pursuers.

"Glad to see me now?" Ardeth asks, keeping his scoff to himself.

Rick O'Connell flips his weapon and heads for the narrow stairs that lead to the top section of the bus, "Just like old times, huh?"

Left to defend the bottom half, Ardeth readies his own weapon and aims his dark eyes out the window at the four mummies racing down the dark streets after them. For a second his train of thought derails to a worrying notion and he turns his head to look back at Evie, "Is there any way to strap her down?"

Evelyn hurries to Kat's side and starts feeling around in the bus seats, finally shaking her head in frustration, "This is the reason I refuse to take the bus."

"Mom!" Alex cries.

An unearthly shriek echoes around them and Ardeth turns toward it to find a mummy dangling inside the doorway to his right. Taking aim, he opens fire on the beast, each round zeroed in on the creature's waist. A second later, the legs fall off, rolling to a stop on the road behind them, and the mummy's upper half is left dangling in the doorway.

The creature and Ardeth glance down at the absent lower half before turning back to glare at each other. The beast roars, swinging a clawed hand out vengefully.

Ardeth tries to let off another round of bullets but the gun jams in his hand and he's forced to back away into the bus as the mummy swings into the confined space like a chimp from the hand railings along the ceiling.

Briefly, Ardeth's gaze shifts to Kat's still form and his face pales in realization that she's left vulnerable to attack. The mummy uses his distraction, grabbing hold of Ardeth's robes and slamming him face first into one side of the bus before throwing him backward into the opposite side.

Evie and Alex wince as they stay backed as far to the front side of the bus as they can get. She keeps her arms latched protectively around her son.

Ardeth regains his footing, swings around and slams a fist into the mummy's chest, sending it flying back onto the bus seat opposite of Kat's limp body. The bus jolts and she rocks dangerously towards the edge, threatening to fall to the floor. His breath catches in his throat and his eyes widen, shifting restlessly from her to the creature that has started to scramble to an upward position. At least, as best as it can since it hasn't any legs.

The bus swerves to cut a tight corner and Kat rolls back safely onto the seat, her eyes fluttering open in confusion.

* * *

At first, Kat can't make sense of all the noise. It's nothing but a jumbled mess of chaotic screams and shouts and screeches and groans. She could've sworn that somewhere in her dream there had been gunshots as well but that wouldn't have made any sense—she hates guns. She's never dreamed about them once…at least, not that she can remember.

But then again…she doesn't remember falling asleep either. No, she would've remembered that. Sleep is supposed to be a soothing thing that calls to you when you lie down. All she can remember is the surge of agonizing, white-hot pain that had exploded through her like a bonfire from hell. That pain she vaguely recalls from a distant time many years ago. It had happened once before and now…

 _It's happening again_ , she thinks as the deep, dark terror fills her up again. Why her? Why couldn't this happen to someone else?!

Her blurry vision clears and she realizes that she's staring up at a window. An unfamiliar window. Kat's eyebrows furrow in confusion and she tilts her head a bit to get a better look. It's dark outside. At least that can be seen through the filthy window.

Another screech pierces her eardrums so terribly that she scrunches up into herself and claps her hands over her ears tightly. Kat twists her head around and has little than a split second to register what's happening. A half-mummy is climbing up by its arms onto the back of a bus seat, lifting a hand to extend deadly claws even more than they already are, and then glaring at Ardeth threateningly.

She's not sure where the sudden surge of energy comes from (maybe adrenaline, maybe fear, maybe panic) but one minute she's lying on her back across a hard, bus seat and then the next she's throwing her body through the air and into Ardeth's torso.

They both fall out of the way just as the mummy rips its claws through the air where Ardeth's chest had been only now they cut through the material of Kat's shirt and into the flesh of her lower back. She doesn't have time to react to the pain before her elbows knock into the hard floor of the bus and replace it with a new pain.

Evie gasps from somewhere nearby and screams, "Turn, turn, turn! Jonathan, turn!"

The bus lurches and everyone is tossed dangerously off balance. Kat rolls off of Ardeth and her back hits the bars of the bus seats, blazing the pain from the injury there back to life. Hissing, she twists away from the pain and slowly climbs to her feet, Ardeth's large hand gripping her elbow to aid her. They're unable to respond to each other though.

The mummy is coming right back at them! Kat ducks as it swings its arm again and those lethal claws tear open the front of Ardeth's robes, no doubt ripping flesh as he's thrown back into the bus seat. Kat stands back up to full height to counter attack but the thing grabs the back of her neck and hurls her into the window head first. She falls right onto the top of Ardeth, her back meeting his solid chest with a _thud_.

The wind is knocked right out of her but the mummy gives her no chance to breathe before swinging in over them like a towering giant and cocks back an arm to strike.

Eyes widening and body going ridged, Kat gasps and grabs hold of the tops of the bus seats so she can lift her legs and cross her ankles around the creature's throat, holding it at a distance.

The beast roars in frustration and claws down at her furiously, some of the attacks ripping open the legs of her pants and slashing into her calves. Kat hisses at the sharp sting and her scream is echoed by a loud _bang_!

The mummy is thrown back!

 _Bang_!

The creature screeches as another blast tears into its body. Another _bang_ sends it flying off balance and onto the floor at the back of the bus. Kat quickly climbs carefully off Ardeth only to crouch suddenly to the floor off her injured leg.

 _Why on earth are these things so hard to kill?!_ , she swears to herself. _Better yet, shouldn't this stupid curse be acting up by now?_

"Look out!" Alex screams and the bus lurches again as Jonathan takes another sharp turn. Kat's head hits the side of the bus seat, her brain jumbling out of order for a second. Evie gasps in alarm as the mummy starts to twitch and scramble across the floor again.

 _God, I hate these things!_ , Kat lifts her head and throws a glare at the creature crawling back towards them. If her anger hadn't been raging and boiling in her blood, turning her thoughts to wrath, maybe she would've noticed the red tinge around her vision that washes the world over in near darkness. Maybe she would've paused in confusion.

But she doesn't. All she wants, all that's going through her head, is to kill this thing, to rip its head off and tear its jugular from its throat.

This anger isn't hers.

The red of her gaze pulses, making everything in her vision twitch in time with the strange beat pounding in her skull, and Kat can feel her eyes begin to burn with familiar heat. She can feel the familiar energies then, the ones of the cursed weapon taking over her.

Darkness wouldn't be far behind.

Right now, she welcomes it.

* * *

Ardeth tries to sit up but the sight before him tells his instincts to remain motionless. Kat's eyes are beginning to glow the neon green, spiraling like a frantic dance in time with the rising anger coming across her face.

She opens her mouth, fangs extended, and the weapon lets out a feral scream at the mummy before her. The beast returns her threat with a shriek of its own before hurling itself up off the floor and through the air at her. The weapon flashes forward like a blinding light.

Hands latching onto the ceiling rails, she kicks her legs out straight and slams her heels into the mummy's chest. It tears backward, crashing through the back window, and disappears into the dark streets behind them.

Again, Alex screams out in alarm and the bus takes a screeching turn, forcing everyone to grab ahold of something to keep their balance. A few moments later there is a terrible crunching noise and screaming of bending metal from above and the bus shudders something fierce.

"S…Sorry," Jonathan calls back from the driver's seat.

A few more screeching turns and the bus comes to a noisy stop along the bridge with a final hiss. Alex, breathing heavily, skips down the center isle of the bus, followed closely by his mother, to his aunt who is still crouched low on the floor.

With the silence that pursues, the heavy breathing from Kat sounds stranger than usual; Evie grabs hold of her son's shoulders and stops him quickly with a sharp jerk backward.

Unsure of what's going on, Alex glances up at his mother and then down at his aunt still bent on the floor, "Aunt Kat?"

Blazing green eyes spin around and glare up at the boy through the hair that has come loose around her face and the weapon growls low. Evie pulls her son behind her and holds up the gun, Ardeth quickly unsheathing his sword and baring the blade to the weapon's throat, every fiber in his being sickened by the action.

Before either of them can act, however, the weapon seizes up and a haze of red power rips around her flesh angrily. She screams a feral cry of pain as she drops fully to the floor of the bus and spasms against the invisible attacks wrecking her body.

Ardeth takes a step towards her but halts himself as the memories from years ago flood into his mind. _No_ , he tells himself, _Do not._

The red haze vanishes back into her flesh and the woman's body collapses, breathing laboriously. She sits up shakily. Ardeth and Evie tighten their holds on their weapons. Her head lifts. They hold their breaths.

Kat's eyes stare up at the blade tip and gun barrel aimed at her face and her flesh pales even worse than it already has, eyes widening hastily up at them, "Oh, God, what'd I do?!"

They both ease, glancing at each other, before Evie answers, "Nothing."

Kat sighs heavily in relief and her shoulders droop as if a large weight has been lifted from them. Alex instantly pushes out from between his mother and Ardeth and swings his arms around his aunt's neck.

"That was so cool! You took care of that mummy as if it was just a sack of-."

"Alex," Evie threatens her son.

"Dirt," the kid rolls his eyes, "I was going to say dirt."

Kat chuckles as she grabs Alex by the hand and climbs shakily into the seat, pulling him towards her. "Did I growl at you?" she asks, half in jest and half in worry.

"Totally!" he grins.

Kat laughs harder. The kid has never been easily scared and right now, she's glad he's so brave. If not fool heartedly so… _So much like his dad_ , Kat thinks.

"Everyone okay?"

They all look up as Rick comes down from the top layer of the bus covered in dust and shards of broken glass in his hair. Kat scrunches up her eyes at her brother. What the heck had he done now?!

He takes his son's face in his hands, gives him a good look over, and brushes his knuckles over his blonde hair before going to lean against the front wall of the bus next to his wife. Rick jabs a finger at Ardeth who has collapsed into a bus seat diagonally from Kat, "You alright?"

Ardeth's smile is a little unnerved, "This was…my first bus ride."

Rick chuckles as he turns his gaze next to his wife. She motions him over with half lowered eyes and a tired flirtatious grin. He smiles back at her before pulling her into his arms.

"What would I do without you?" Evie whispers to him.

"Are all librarians this much trouble?" he shoots back as she nods and pulls him close for a kiss.

Kat and Alex groan and roll their eyes. "Ugh!"

"Geez, get a room," the boy grumbles as he hops up from the long seat at the back of the bus next to his aunt and turns towards the back window of the vehicle to check out the damages.

Wanting nothing more than to escape their PDA but too exhausted to do so, Kat falls back onto the seat and hoists her injured leg up with her as she lies down to catch her breath. She closes her eyes and starts to drift a little only to be met with an all too familiar lash of power that cuts into the back of her skull.

Sleep races away like a scared puppy from a spanking.

Kat's eyes open wide as the realization sets in—the curse is back.

She's a prisoner once again. Only this time…she may not survive long enough to win her freedom.

A shudder shoots up her body and she wraps her arms around herself to keep it from outwardly showing to the others, sighing heavily in defeat. Kat tears up out of her seat as a dreadful feeling grips her stomach like a vice.

"AGHM!" Twisting around despite the pain, her eyes zero in on Alex who has let out a scream just as he's pulled from the back of the bus by a pair of huge, strong arms.

"ALEX!" she and Rick scream.

Kat is the first to make it to the back, her panic stirring the curse within her and causing the weapon's power to shimmer threateningly behind her subconscious. She leaps down the stairs and lands on the asphalt, legs absorbing the impact as best as they can despite their injuries, as her eyes scan frantically ahead of her. Alex disappears into the back of a car as the familiar cult member she had faced down at Rick's house climbs in after them.

The door shuts in Kat's face right as she's mere inches from the car. The vehicle speeds away and her heart screams as she watches the door handle slip right out of her fingers. Her palms start glowing green and it soaks into her finger tips and nails but she doesn't notice it. Her mind doesn't register as the claws extend, tearing into the metal of the car and raking gashes all down the side as if it's made of paper. Her flesh rips, shreds, splits; warm blood floods into her palms and down her arms and spills onto the street.

But she doesn't feel it, even as she falls to her knees in the middle of the dark street. The world has stopped, gone cold, silent. All she can center on is the breath leaving her lungs and the car disappearing down the bridge into the night, carrying Alex away with them.

He had been right there. Right next to her. She had let him walk away.

 _It's my fault. Why didn't I pay attention…? Why wasn't I more alert…? I let this happen. It's my fault._

Her blood pools around her hands resting palm up between her knees where she's fallen; dark as night, it snakes off across the uneven asphalt and mixes with the water lingering there from the recent rains.

 _It's my fault._

* * *

Author's Note:

Just FYI:

 _Italicized words:_ personal thoughts or sounds or words said in Egyptian language.

 ** _Italicized/Bolded words_** : power infused words of otherworldly beings said in Egyptian language (AKA: Imhotep or Bastet)


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5 is a go!_

 _Thanks a bunch for your patience!_

 _-Ravyne_

 _(Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the 'MUMMY' movies or any of their characters. Just my characters Katherine and Bastet belong to me.)_

* * *

 **Life Forsakes Her**

 **Chapter 5:**

"Shouldn't she be healing faster than this?"

No reply.

"Shouldn't she?"

Still silence.

"Ardeth!"

Ardeth blinks out of his thoughts, forcing his eyes away from her hands and turning them to Evie's brother who is kneeling in front of Kat with a damp cloth in his hands. For the past half hour he has been wringing out water he's soaked up from a bowl of water situated on the ground below her injured hands. Nothing seems to work.

The water started out clear but now the liquid runs almost as red as her blood after so many washes. The skin has been ripped up so harshly from around her palms and fingers that Jonathan was too nervous to touch the rag directly to her flesh so he has taken to the long task of wringing the cloth out over and over again. They both have watched patiently as the water dripped over her wounds, wound around the puckered skin, and then eventually fell the few feet to the bowl waiting below.

Despite Jonathan's efforts, the water just turns deeper and deeper red until it's next to impossible to tell if it's her blood weeping or just the water.

Jonathan motions towards Kat's hands, "Shouldn't she be healing?"

Ardeth moves his gaze back to her hands. The sight makes his blood run cold. He hates to see her injured so, despite how much he tries to push the feeling away. Taking a deep, centering breath and hoping his voice sound steady, Ardeth answers as best as he can, "She should be."

"Why isn't she?" he pushes further.

"I am not sure."

A sniffle breaks his concentration and Ardeth looks up across the way. A few paces to his right, O'Connell holds his wife close, brushing her dark hair away from her face and kissing her gently on the forehead as he tries to console her. The madjai sends up a prayer for the parents—to lose a child can be devastating.

At least that's what he's been told; he has no child of his own so he cannot understand how they feel. Jonathan comes to stand by his side and joins him in watching the couple sadly.

"There's got to be something we can tell her," the man shakes his head.

Ardeth nods, "A mother will grieve at a loss but she will be an unstoppable force when it comes to recuing her child. We must give her a reason to become said force." He approaches the O'Connell's with Jonathan at his heels and speaks as softly as he can to them both, "Please, do not fear for your son, my friends. They cannot hurt him for he wears the bracelet of Anubis."

Evie seems to snap out of her grief at the news, raising her head to glance up at Rick, "Alex is wearing the bracelet!"

"When he put it on, he said he saw the pyramids at Giza, he saw the temple at Karnak…"

"Yes, and when they reach Karnak, the bracelet will show him the next half of the journey," Ardeth finishes for Rick.

Evie shakes her head from side to side as she fights against her rising panic, "Well, if…if we don't get to Karnak before them we won't have any idea where to look for him next."

Rick has gone suspiciously quiet as they discuss the plan and they all turn to look at the man who stares off into deep thought. He opens his mouth and speaks slowly, "Seems to me…like we need a magic carpet."

Out of nowhere a quiet, strangled voice from behind them replies, "Oh…please don't say it."

They all turn to Kat who has snapped out of her silent shock at his words and Rick throws her a half-hearted smile, "We gotta go find Izzy."

"Great," she groans.

* * *

 _Twenty three_ , she thinks as the violent shudders finally pass. _That makes twenty three since…_ Kat shakes her head before the thought can fully form; there's no use dwelling on negative views. Since awakening the curse, the cold spells have become more and more frequent with each passing hour. She's held them in as best as she can, trying to keep her family from worrying about anything more than their son, but each spell keeps getting worse.

Once, she's sure that Ardeth and Jonathan both saw her shudder but she passed it off as a cough. Whether or not they believed her or is another story.

The women of the shop surround her as soon as she opens the dressing room door and Kat holds up her hands in surrender at the countless colorful outfits they hold out towards her.

"N-no, please, I'm fine with what I have on. This is perfect. Thank you," Kat stumbles over who knows whose foot it is that she steps on during her trek to the door of the shop. They continue to horde around her, speaking in their native tongues which fall deaf on Kat's ears, pressuring her to buy something else.

Eventually she makes it out of the shop and back out into the calmer street beyond before they can stuff the fabrics down her throat. She would've been able to avoid all of that if Evie hadn't run off and left her without a translator. She swears the woman is way more conniving than she lets on; she's got everyone fooled with that sweet, innocent act.

 _She's learned way too much from Rick_ , Kat thinks to herself. Flipping up her hood, she ducks out into the scorching sun and heads across the small town. The walls of the buildings are ruined, left and forgotten by a people long, long ago and once again inhabited by today's populations. One cluster of walls in particular stands higher than the rest and surrounds a much larger area. A dusty, old sign rests outside it and reads: Magic Carpet Airways. The paint long faded from countless sand storms, Kat avoids the sign completely and circles around the area along the outside wall to the hill behind it.

Inside, Kat can clearly hear her brother arguing with their friend, Izzy, about something but their words are mumbled. If she knows Izzy, and she does very well, there's not a doubt in her mind that he's grumbling about the many times he's gotten shot. Most of those times he got shot were Rick's fault so the man has plenty of reason to be sour about seeing them.

To avoid the majority of that tension, Kat figures she'd wait for Rick to handle the flight details and just sit on the side lines this round. She finds the corner of a forgotten building crumbling away and drops her weapon bag on top of the most stable bit before sitting down next to it and leaning back against it to rest her eyes. Sleep avoids her as per usual but thankfully it's quiet where she is so she can soak up a few rays without being interrupted.

There's a twinge of pain in her legs as she moves to situate herself on the top of the rocks. Along the way here, Evie had insisted that she have her injuries looked after so that included having her hands, legs, and back looked at. They didn't have a doctor around or anyone who knew anything about doctoring so Evie did her best to help Kat clean out the wounds and replace the dressings protecting them. The wounds on Kat's hands and along her legs are healing much slower than all her others but they are healing. Now Kat is only forced to wear a thin layer of wrappings around her palms and ankles where the injuries had been the deepest and most threatening.

Evie had also seen to Ardeth's wounds, despite his attempts to make her believe they weren't serious, and Kat had seen just how bad they were. She had tried not to let her eyes drift over to them—which was next to impossible on the small plane Rick had commissioned to fly them to Egypt—but she had watched anyway. The casual robes he wore were thinner than they appeared to her at first. Forced to remove the top robes over his torso, Kat realized that the thickness was just a show. A really disguising show. Ardeth's shoulders have always been broad but Kat never realized how broad until the moment he had to remover his top robe so he could clean the wounds on his shoulders and chest.

That's when Kat had to leave the area… The olive tone in his skin was marred by a scar here or there over his torso, showing the hard life he lived as a madjai, but other than that his flesh was smooth.

Kat quickly pushes the memories away and squeezes her eyes shut tighter.

The hood of her thin forest green pull over flaps in the small breeze as a cold spell starts to shiver up her spine. Kat wraps her arms around her torso over her stomach, clenching her fingers together and gathering up the fabric of her shirt as the spell starts to spread down her arms and to her fingers. She clenches her teeth together to keep them from chattering and focuses on her breathing to distract her mind from the violent shivers shocking her body.

The fabric wrap around her waist over her belt does little to warm her as the trembles snake down her legs, raising goosebumps across her skin as it goes.

 _Focus on something else!_ , she yells at herself. _Find something to distract you!_

She lets her memories of her time in the legionnaire with her brother pull her back through time, back to the days when her only true worry was whether or not she'd die or live. Those were the good old days. She was truly able to live on the edge back then. Her time was so filled with planning and sparring and training that she wouldn't even remember to eat some time.

She'd go to sleep at night so exhausted that she wouldn't even dream. She'd rest easy knowing that her brother was at her side, watching her back all along the way just as she watched his.

Now? Not so much.

Not even when the stupid mummy had been released the first time had she known such busy times. Heck, she hardly even remembered the chaos Imhotep had wrought during his first reawakening. She can thank the curse for that.

 _But those dark memories had a good side_ , Kat reminds herself. She had been so happy to see Rick find his soul mate. Evie had been a blessing in their lives and Kat is delighted to call her a sister; something she's always wanted was a sister to be able to talk in confidence to. There are just certain things a girl can't discuss with her brother.

Jonathan has been a weird relative to call her own but Kat loves the guy all the same. He tells good stories, no matter if they are lies. He'd be a great storyteller if he'd put away his greedy nature for once and think about a real job.

And Ardeth… Well, that was… Kat sighs, frustrated with the quickened response of her heart by the simple thought of his name. He had come into their lives like a sandstorm himself; all swords and agility and abruptness… The madjai was a mystery then just as much as he is now. Sure he'd become a trusted ally to them all—a friend too—but Kat still knows next to nothing about him.

Even their time at the library hadn't cleared much of anything up. If anything, their time there had confused her even more. The library had…

 _No, I can't think about that!_ , she stops herself, bolting straight up and ripping open her eyes. _I won't think back on those days. It happened. Let it go. I won't let him get to me. I made my decision and I can't undo it._

The sound of horses makes Kat jump in surprise and the cold shivers disappear randomly out of nowhere. Twelve horsemen, all dressed in black robes and headdresses, ride up near her and pull their horses to a stop. Kat eyeballs a pretty, pale mare with a caramel colored mane and tail that looks like she's bred to run and run fast.

She remembers the last horse she had been on… Wait, no. The last horse she had been on had been a camel that she was forced to ride on her journey to find the hidden library that Ardeth had told her about. The camel had kept trying to bite her ankles and head (whenever they lead them by their lead ropes to give them a rest from carrying them) all along the way. That stubborn beast had even made going to a library a joy when they finally reached it. Though she can't say she liked arriving more than the time she actually spent there…

 _STOP IT!_ , Kat snaps at herself, grabbing her head and leaning over to place her elbows on her knees with a deep, exhausted sigh.

"You alright?"

She jerks her eyes up to find her brother leaning over her with his hand resting on her shoulder worriedly. "Yeah," she rushes to answer and pulls on the best smile she can. His tense expression eases a little before he looks up at the horsemen coming towards them.

Behind him, Jonathan and Evie join them with a familiar face pausing behind them, throwing an uncomfortable glance at the small army assembled at his doorstep. Kat's eyes narrow at him.

"Izzy," she tries at politeness but it comes out as more of a 'say-something-to-peeve-me-off-and-I'll-gorge-out-your-eyes' tone.

"Katherine," the pilot grumbles out with a 'just-try-it-with-your-brother-around' tone.

"Play nice you two," Rick shoots a warning at them both, effectively shutting down the argument before it can start. It's not that Kat doesn't like Izzy, it's just…she can't stand him. He's a lot like Jonathan in many ways. Greedy people annoy her…not that she isn't a sinner herself.

During her internal ramblings, a man had climbed down off his horse, handing the reins off to the horsemen next to him, and then approaches their group. Kat blinks in surprise.

Ardeth had forsaken the simple, more casual robes he had on before, for his usual madjai robes; the belts for his ammo and swords have been returned to their rightful places around his torso and waist. She particularly notices the headdress he wears…

 _That's different_ , Kat takes note. Blue instead of the dark burgundy, he carries it so much differently than his last one. What does it mean?

Rick lifts his hand in a familiar gesture to Ardeth in greeting and the madjai returns it with a nod before introducing the small militia behind him still perched silently on their horses and looking even more mysterious than Ardeth ever has.

"These are the commanders of the twelve tribes of the madjai," Ardeth explains. He lifts his arm, turns towards his fellow warriors, and then calls out a bit louder, "Horus!"

From the arm of the madjai warrior at the end of the line of men, a beautiful, blue-gray peregrine falcon flaps up into the air and over towards Ardeth where it lands gracefully on his outstretched arm.

Jonathan grins and motions towards the falcon, "Ah, pet bird!"

Ardeth's answering smile is warmer than any Kat has ever seen as he answers, "My best and most clever friend."

Kat blinks and turns to look somewhere else as a tiny sting jabs at her stomach, _There's no way I'm jealous of a stupid bird!_

"He will let the commanders know of our progress so that they may follow," Ardeth continues, "If the Army of Anubis arises…they will do all they can to stop it."

Something in what he says makes Kat pause and glance off at the row of horsemen before her. That's when things start to click into place: they all wear the same headdress and robes, they're all commanders of one of their twelve tribes…

Her eyes jolt to Ardeth.

He wears the same robes and headdress…including him, there are twelve riders…

Wait…a…second!

Kat's eyes widen, _Holy crap! Ardeth's a commander?! When the heck did that happen?!_

Apparently some of her internal shock has spilled from her mouth because the next things you know, all eyes are on her and she's biting her lip angrily at her stupidity.

"Yes," Ardeth answers her. "I was named commander of my tribe four years ago." With no more than a glance in her direction, he turns back to Rick to answer something her brother had asked while he strokes his pet bird's chest gently.

Kat drops her eyes to her hands in her lap, ignoring the heat trying to claw its way up her neck. She's never been the blushing type but Ardeth always finds a way to push it out of her.

There's a sudden flapping noise that makes Kat jump as it nears her head and Ardeth's falcon abruptly drops to land on the top of her weapon bag beside her. It slants its small head to the side as it blinks its big brown eyes up at her and chirps softly.

Kat blinks back.

The falcon chirps again in a smooth cooing noise and a smile pulls at the corner of her mouth, "You are kinda cute…for a little guy." Reaching forward hesitantly, Kat holds out her fingers as she had seen Ardeth do to rub the falcon down the chest and the bird moves its head forward as if to study her hand before surprising her by tenderly rubbing against her much like a cat would do. Kat's smile widens.

A movement catches her eye and she looks up again. Another madjai is climbing down off his horse, eyes locked on Kat sharply, and strides right up to her as if he's known her for years. Kat jumps to her feet, alarmed at his abruptness, and on instinct her hand goes to the closest knife she can find on her person. The man stops, fists his hand over his heart and bows.

Kat blinks, hand freezing on the dagger hilt.

The commander pulls a sword off his belt and presents it to her with a nod. The handle is silver, a band of leather wound around it in intricate braids, while the short blade is hidden away inside a beautiful beaded sheath that looks highly expensive.

She glances up at him as he urges her to take it but she shakes her head in bewilderment. He begins to speak in their native tongue, only confusing her that much more; her eyes widen to the size of saucers.

Ardeth steps up to her side, folding his hands behind his back, and translates for her, "He wishes to gift you. The commanders have been informed of who you are and of the heavy burden you carried the last time the creature was awakened. They know you have been placed under the same imprisonment again and they wish to honor your courage. This is their gift to you."

Words clogging in her throat, Kat can only stand there gapping like a fish out of water. Her hands are shaking from the indecisive thoughts swirling around in her head.

"Take it." Kat throws a look over her shoulder at her brother's low whisper, "Don't disrespect them—we need their help."

She rolls her eyes and turns back to look at the commander before her. He continues to hold out the short sword to her with another respective bow of his head and a patient, kind stare. Kat reaches up unsteadily, hesitating only a moment before taking the sword from him carefully in her hands. The commander fists his hand over his heart again and bows once more to her, leaving Kat to awkwardly return to formality as best as she can with her own head since her hands are full.

"How do you say thank you in your language?" Kat whispers to Ardeth. He jerks his eyes in her direction as if surprised that she's speaking to him directly and then just stares at her for a long moment before speaking the words she would need. Upon hearing said words, she can feel her tongue tie up uselessly in her mouth. Ardeth seems to notice this and turns to speak to the commander in her stead. The man's formal smile becomes warmer as his gaze softens and returns to hers.

Nodding once again, he returns to his horse. Then all at once, the commanders speak something in unison and give her the same formal bow. Ardeth makes a gesture with his hand, speaks something to his madjai brothers who return the words, and then the horsemen ride off into the desert with a cloud of dust following in their wake.

"What'd they say?" Kat inquires.

"They said they will pray for your victory," Ardeth answers as he turns away without a glance in her direction and starts to walk away.

The sword in her hands suddenly feels like it weights a ton, "Victory? What, like, over death or over Imhotep with the help of my death?"

The madjai stops a few paces from where Rick and company stand. His shoulders rise and fall from a very deep, slow breath he takes in before his voice answers her. Kat doesn't let it go unnoticed how he doesn't turn to speak to her directly. Instead he speaks louder so his voice will carry back to her over his shoulder, "Your death will not happen."

Kat watches him go, unable to pull her eyes away…at least not until Rick clears his throat and she blinks uncomfortably under his scrutinizing gaze. She shrugs, "What?"

Rick and Evie share a look.

Rolling her eyes, Kat goes back to grab her bag where Horus still sits and he chirps at her excitedly at her return. She pets him lovingly down his gray feathered chest with a smile.

"Better watch out, Ardeth. I think your 'best and most clever friend' has a crush on my sister," Rick teases the madjai.

Kat and Ardeth's gazes meet at the end of his sentence.

* * *

Author's Note:

Just FYI:

 _Italicized words:_ personal thoughts or sounds or words said in Egyptian language.

 ** _Italicized/Bolded words_** : power infused words of otherworldly beings said in Egyptian language (AKA: Imhotep or Bastet)


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter 6 is a go!_

 _Thanks a bunch for your patience!_

 _-Ravyne_

 _(Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the 'MUMMY' movies or any of their characters. Just my characters Katherine and Bastet belong to me.)_

* * *

 **Life Forsakes Her**

 **Chapter 6:**

"Rick, are you sure Izzy's reliable?" Evie worries aloud as their little group treks along the ruined wall to meet up with the pilot.

"Yeah, yeah, he's reliable," Rick assures her hesitantly.

"Ish," Kat finishes his unspoken meaning, making Evie glance back at her worriedly.

Rick grabs his wife's shoulder assuredly before throwing a glare behind him at his sister, "Shut it."

Kat stifles a giggle but Evie doesn't let her husband's reprimand of his sister stop her curiosity, "I have another question then, Kat." The younger O'Connell raises her eyebrows to her sister-in-law. "What do you know about this bank job story?"

"Which one?"

"Which one?!" Evie gasps out in alarm.

"I said stop," Rick warns Kat again as he puts an arm around his wife and urges her forward and away from his sister's mouth.

Kat grins, shifts her weapon bag onto her other shoulder, and then holds up her hands to count off on her fingers, "Well, there was the one in Cairo, another in Marrakesh, then there was that one time in-."

"Shut up, Kat."

"The one in Marrakesh," Evie nods back at her with a smile.

"Oh, yeah," Kat smiles back, "The one with the…"

Together they laugh, "Belly dancer girl."

Rick spins around, rips his water canister off his belt and holds it up in front of his sister's face, twirling it around so that the water inside sloshes around noisily. Kat's already dry mouth turns into a scorched desert as she tries to swallow the dryness down her raw throat. She fights back the hiss that threatens to growl out of her chest.

Evie snatches the canister away from her husband with a furious glare, "Rick, I tolerate your teasing of Katherine, but I will not let you be cruel about it."

Letting out a dry cough into the tense silence that follows, Kat grips the strap of her bag and moves to walk around her brother towards the air field where Izzy is supposed to be waiting for them, "Rick, you'd better be glad you look like mom."

"Does he?" Evie hurries to catch up with her sister-in-law curiously.

Kat nods, digging for the necklace she keeps hidden under her shirt, and pulls out a small silver locket. She opens the small latch and holds it out for Evie to see, "That's my mom there."

"Oh, he does favor her quite a lot actually."

"He's cute, yeah?"

"Very," Evie and Kat giggle as they throw teasing looks back at Rick who rubs a hand down his face.

"Handsome," he grumbles, "It's handsome. Guys don't like to be called 'cute'."

The two women continue to laugh at him as they round the corner of the ruined wall only to have that light moment die off at the sight before them. Kat and Rick had both been prepared to see Izzy's huge plane waiting for them on the airfield, mostly since they've been telling everyone so many stories about it, but…

"Isn't she beautiful?" Izzy holds his arms out to present the flying machine to their stunned faces.

"It's a balloon," Rick blinks.

"It's a dirigible!" Izzy corrects him.

Beside her brother, Kat's shock has slowly begun to turn into excitement; she's never been on one of these before.

"Where's your airplane?"

"Ha!" Izzy scoffs. "Airplanes are a thing of the past!"

"Izzy, you were right."

The pilot slows a bit in surprise, "I was?"

"Yeah," Rick reaches to his waist, "You're gonna get shot."

Izzy holds his hands up quickly in defense as Rick pulls out his gun and cocks it angrily, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! She's faster than she looks! And she's quiet, real quiet; perfect for sneaking up on people which is a very good thing. Unless, of course, we go with your approach: barging in face first, guns blazing, and getting your friend shot in the ass."

Kat reaches over and places a hand on her brother's, still holding out the gun ready to fire, and pushes the weapon down, "Yeah, take a chill pill, this is going to be fun."

"Finally, someone who sees the beauty of this," Izzy laughs. Kat heads towards the dirigible with a newfound skip in her step and a lighter feeling than ever in her recently drenched spirits.

"Did you two just agree on something?" Rick stumbles in shock.

"Hey, Izzy? Can I fly it-?" Kat calls as she climbs up the netting and onto the deck through the gap in the railing.

"NO!"

Everyone jumps at Izzy's sudden, panicked yelp.

"No, no, no, no, no!" he hurries up onto the deck behind her and stands in her path to keep her away from the helm on the rear of the deck where it stands under the cover of a makeshift shelter. "You flew my first plane into a building, I will not let you kill this beauty."

"That was one time, Iz. And if you remember, that wasn't my fault. That was Rick's fault!" Kat argues, jabbing a finger at her brother who still stands with the rest of the company on the ground.

"Why can't you people ever keep your feet on the ground?" Ardeth wonders aloud.

"Where's the fun in that?" Kat finds herself responding against her will as she drops her bag on the deck of the dirigible. "What, you're not afraid of heights are you?"

 _Are you seriously flirting with the guy?!_ , she snaps at herself. _Shut up!_

His dark gaze finds hers, as guarded as Kat's yet so much more intense, and the electricity there becomes so strong that she has to jerk her eyes away to keep from melting into a puddle of goo.

* * *

Ardeth once thought her leaving him at the library was the most confusing thing he could ever face. She hadn't left him word of why or where she was going or if he needed to follow her. She just left.

However, crossing paths with her again and dealing with her mixed emotions and signals makes their previous relations seem like a simple passing of the wind and not a storm trying to form.

His thoughts are interrupted as Rick side steps around Jonathan and then past his sister whose shoulder he pats gently as he goes on his way to the front of the deck where his wife is standing off by herself.

That is another problem worrying his thoughts; Rick O'Connell would never be able to become fully himself if he didn't accept his destiny. Ardeth's gaze shifts from the older brother to the younger sister sitting in a chair at the edge of the deck, arms folded over the railing, and staring off into the horizon beyond. The additional hieroglyphic tattoos around her neck stand out against her paling flesh, despite her tanned skin tone, and a single band of those cursed marks extends down her back where they disappear under the edge of her white shirt. The hooded over shirt she's been wearing had been folded up and discarded into her weapons bag about two hours ago and now her arms and shoulders are left bare to the moon's light.

Ardeth had known about the cursed marks but seeing the extent of them on so much of her exposed flesh makes her seem so foreign to his eyes. The marks make her look much more striking than he once thought when he had brought her to Terence during the first time she was cursed. He remembers how he had briefly wondered how far those marks extended on her body… He still finds himself wondering…

He blinks away the sudden wave of improper thoughts trying to form at the front of his mind and pulls his gaze away to focus on Horus sitting quietly on his hand.

She is branded with the same mark as Rick. Both of them need to accept their fates and yet neither of them seems to care to believe.

"O'Connell does not want to believe but he flies like Horus towards his destiny," he wonders aloud as he motions with his head towards Rick at the front of the deck with his wife.

Jonathan nods impatiently, obviously upset that the madjai has veered off from their original subject, "Yes, yes, very interesting. Tell me some more about this gold pyramid."

"Well, it is written that since the time of the Scorpion King, no man who had laid eyes upon it has ever returned to tell the tale," Ardeth explains.

"Where is all this stuff written," Jonathan exhales.

"And if no man has returned to tell the tale, then where do the stories come from, I wonder," Kat's voice appears out of nowhere. Both men look up at her but she hasn't moved from her position. Her back remains turned to them and her face hidden from their eyes. The wind swirls the few strands of her hair that have come loose and Ardeth can remember a time when he had once felt that hair for himself, brushing it back behind her ears and out of her eyes.

He shakes the thoughts away quickly.

"Hello! Got it."

Ardeth blinks out of his mind at Jonathan's gasp and turns towards the man as he fumbles to pull something through the hole in the wall separating them from the helm where Izzy is busy reading charts. Jonathan pulls the gold staff through the hole and gazes down at it greedily before shooting a careful glance behind him to make sure the pilot hasn't seen him.

"Pretty nice, eh?" he smiles at Ardeth. "This is all I have left in the world. The rest of my fortune was lost…to some rather unscrupulous characters, actually."

"Well, if the curator reacted to it the way you say, it must be very important. If I were you, I'd keep it close," Ardeth fights back a smile.

Jonathan chuckles in response, "My friend, the gods couldn't take this away from me-."

"HEY!" Izzy cries. They all jump in surprise; even Kat turns around to find out what's going on. "That's mine!" the pilot snatches the top of the gold scepter and pulls.

"No it's not!" Jonathan struggles to hold on to his prize but ultimately after a good round of tug of war, Izzy's strength wins out and the scepter slips out of Jonathan's grasp.

"Keep your hands off it," Izzy warns the man.

Ardeth chuckles at the exchange followed by the low response from Kat, "I'm surrounded by children."

Resting on his hand where Ardeth is stroking him, Horus opens his wings and flaps up into the air where he lands on the railing next to where Kat has returned to resting. He chirps while she smiles softly over at him and strokes him much as Ardeth had done moments ago.

The madjai watches the exchange silently, eyes following each stroke of her hand.

* * *

Kat has listened to about as much of their conversation as she can handle. For the last hour, Ardeth and Rick have been discussing the current situation and the madjai has tried over and over again to convince Rick of his destiny as a sacred warrior simply because of some tattoo he and Kat both share.

She sighs under her breath and tries to block them out but with no success. What she wouldn't give for a noise cancelling pot or something to put over her ears. How on earth is Rick not denying all this with more fervor; his temper is worse than hers…most of the time.

Unable to find anywhere on this small ship to escape his deep voice, Kat is forced to lie her forehead down on her arms and close her eyes. She focuses on her breathing instead.

Her whole body is starting to get sorer with each passing day. Her throat feels like sandpaper and her stomach continues to growl and hurt worse and worse. Lack of sleep has her yawning continuously and the cold spells don't help to quell the irritation growing inside of her.

They had discussed as a group what Evie had heard Imhotep say to the weapon right after he was awakened but she still can't remember the exact words of the spell that had become a red haze which attacked Kat's body whenever the weapon or anything else tried to control her.

Unlike nine years ago, Kat can't remember anything of the transformation. No blurred images, no pain. Just the memory of being lost and alone in utter darkness; cut off from everything except from having to watch her body slaughter people against her will.

 _God, why me_ , she wonders internally.

 _ **You?! Why you?! WHY ME!**_

The anger washes over her suddenly and she can feel herself being pulled loose from her body, spiraling back and back across ages and histories.

* * *

" _He will kill us both!" she growled under her breath as she shut the door to her room behind her. Her long black hair swirled around her as she whipped her head around furiously. Her priestess robes swished across the marble floors under her feet as she strode across her room and threw the sheer curtains across the access way to her balcony out of her way. The cool moonlit night welcomed her, painting her olive toned skin in pale light but it did nothing to quell her anger._

 _It was all that woman's fault._

 _Anck-su-Namun._

 _If she hadn't shown up, he would still look at her. His eyes would only be for her. His heart would still belong to her._

 _She ground her teeth together, gripping the balcony rail tightly until her knuckles under her jewelry turned white. Her breath came laboriously against her will though she tried her best to calm herself._

 _Across the courtyard below, she could just make out the figures of the madjai sparring with each other as their nightly training session. She had become so used to their presence that even their advances towards her escaped her attention now._

 _Even Anen, a recent addition to the sacred guard. He was always the first to greet her when she passed but she hardly recognized him anymore._

 _If only he had showed the same attention to her as Anen did._

" _As if he would," she snarled. "He only sees her. Imhotep is a fool!"_

 _A movement caught her eye and she looked up as Pharaoh's daughter, Nefertiri, stepped out onto her balcony and cast her eyes out over the courtyard below just as she had. She watched the princess as her eyes turned to the balcony across from hers and she's surprised to see a dark look come over the royal's face._

 _The princess was kind, caring, and fair; a jewel in the Pharaoh's family. She knew the young woman would be a great queen for her people one day so seeing this joyless look come over the princess's features confused her deeply._

 _She followed the young woman's glare to investigate what would anger her so and nearly hissed aloud._

 _The curtains on the balcony in question were open, revealing a scene inside that would no doubt bring about someone's death. Imhotep and Anck-su-Namun were embracing passionately, his hands caressed her skin hungrily as they kissed._

 _She stumbled back a step from the edge of the balcony, horrified by the sight before her. Imhotep, he-!_

 _Why would he do this?!_

 _Why would he do this to them?!_

 _Everyone in the whole kingdom knew that no man was to touch the Pharaoh's intended. Imhotep had to know that what he was doing was breaking law! To cross the Pharaoh was to write your own death._

 _Anger boiling her blood, she turned away from the crushing scene and rushed back into her room, throwing the sheer curtains out of her way again and hurried into the small hallway that lead to her wash room. She collapsed against the side wall and covered her face to keep the shrieks from escaping her throat._

 _She would not cry. She would not fall that low. She was no peasant anymore. She was a priestess; chosen by the Pharaoh himself. She would not be weak._

 _Lifting her head and pulling her hands slowly away from her face, she glared at the golden wall opposite her and her reflection glared back._

 _Green eyes blazed angrily like living fires._

* * *

Kat is thrown back suddenly as her own shock rips her from the past but an angry energy snags her harshly and keeps her from returning to her own body. She whips around frantically in the strange limbo as she fights to rid herself of the invisible hands around her.

She had seen clearly the face reflected in the gold along the wall. Those had been her eyes, that had been her face, that had been her hair. But that hadn't been her anger.

That was Bastet.

That terrible anger—she's felt it and experienced it before in her own body. It burned like an ancient fire ready to consume the world if it meant getting revenge.

She can feel a terrible foreboding whisper inside of her, beating hot in her blood; a warning trying to alert her of a violent event about to happen. Kat's breathing stops short. Something bad is about to happen, something that happened thousands of years ago preparing to repeat itself again.

A flash of the Pharaoh's daughter's face shoots across her mind. She knows that face. Fighting harder, Kat struggles to return to her body. She has to warn Rick. She has to stop it! He has to know!

The angry power holding her tightens like a vice in an attempt to stop her.

Kat fights harder! It feels like she's pushing against a brick wall but brick walls aren't impenetrable. They could be broken. She eventually feels the ghostly energies of her arms and grabs hold of them, forcing them to move and push her body away from the railing she's leaning against like stiff limbs. Next is her tongue. If Kat can't make it back to her whole body, she'd be sure to at least scream out some kind of warning to the others even if it kills her.

She pushes and pushes and pushes, each inch only serves to tighten the noose around her even more. Her voice becomes hers again and she forces out a scream that is so loud to her ears she fears it will deafen her. However, it comes from her body as nothing more than her normal, average conversation tone despite her cries.

Her voice speaks, coming out strange as if the weapon itself is trying to aid her. Her words are empowered by the curse within her and it makes everyone on deck jump to their feet.

" _ **Rick.**_ "

Kat can faintly feel a burning in her eyes as if they are being engulfed in flames and she knows that they have started to spiral to life with that unearthly green glow.

Her body whirls around towards Evie who has gone ridged behind her as she looks off into the opposite horizon. Slowly at first but getting faster, Kat's control over her body returns to her and her next words do come out in a scream.

" _ **Catch her!**_ "

Evie suddenly screams bloody murder and lurches forward. Her body careens over the railing of the deck and she free falls into the air below. Kat's heart all but stops in her chest and the weapon pushes her body forwards and thrusts a hand down after the woman, snatching her up by the ankle.

Kat would've loved to relax and sigh in relief…if not for the fact that with each passing second that she regains control of her body, the weapon's supernatural strength starts to dim. By this time, Rick, Jonathan, and Ardeth have all joined her at the railing and are reaching down to grab hold of Evie as well.

Panic soaks into Kat's voice even more as her grip on Evie slips, "Rick, get her up!" She can feel that the weapon has almost retreated back deep into herself so with one last leech of its strength, Kat pulls and the guys aid her in pulling Evie up over the railing and back onto the deck.

Kat collapses against the wall of the railing opposite them, sinking to her knees as a weakness unlike she's ever known comes over her and leaves her breathless. She closes her eyes feebly, wishing more than anything that she could just sleep, and faintly she can feel the ghostly shape of a hand gently caressing her shoulder distantly.

A violent cold spell hits her and she sinks into a fit of spasm on the deck.

* * *

Author's Note:

Just FYI:

 _Italicized words:_ personal thoughts or sounds or words said in Egyptian language.

 ** _Italicized/Bolded words_** : power infused words of otherworldly beings said in Egyptian language (AKA: Imhotep or Bastet)


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter 7 is a go!_

 _Thanks a bunch for your patience!_

 _-Ravyne_

 _(Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the 'MUMMY' movies or any of their characters. Just my characters Katherine and Bastet belong to me.)_

* * *

 **Life Forsakes Her**

 **Chapter 7:**

"Evie, I know you haven't exactly been yourself lately with all these dreams and visions but-."

"No, no, they're memories from my previous life. Honestly, I'm not losing my mind, it all makes perfect sense now," Evie explains to Rick.

"And that's the reason why we found the bracelet?" he asks skeptically.

"Exactly, I was its protector," she nods.

"Now do you believe, my friend?" Ardeth cuts in on their conversation. "Clearly you were destined to protect this woman."

"Right, she's a reincarnated princess and I'm a warrior for God," Rick fights back an eye roll.

"And your son leads the way to Ahm Shere," Ardeth urges. "Three sides of the pyramid; this was all preordained thousands of years ago."

"And how does the story end?" Evie asks worriedly.

"Only the journey's written, not the destination."

"Convenient." This time Rick doesn't bother hiding the sarcasm in his voice.

"How else do you explain Evie's visions, that it is your son who wears the bracelet?" Ardeth continues. "How do you explain your mark?"

"Coincidence," the man shoots back.

"My friend, there is a fine line between coincidence and fate."

Rick stifles a frustrated sigh and lets his eyes wander to the front of the deck where his sister leans silently against the bowsprit with a blanket wrapped tightly around her. After rescuing Evie from her fall, Kat had fallen to the deck in a fit of spasm from a nasty cold spell that was far worse than any of them had seen from her. He had long expected that she was hiding most of her pain from the rest of them to keep them from worrying about her but this was much worse than he had first feared.

Now she's gone silent, distanced herself even more, and refuses to interact more than she has to. She's shutting down now, that much is clear.

Fearing what her actions may lead her to, Rick calls out across the deck to her, "Kat?" The only reaction he receives is a tilt of her head in their direction but he's thankful for even that so he continues, "What are your thoughts on all of this?"

Kat's head turns away again and Rick starts to think that she's going to remain silent, until her shoulders move from a heavy sigh she releases and then her voice speaks, "Pyramids have four sides, not three."

"Really?" Rick's voice flattens. "That's it?"

"You are the fourth side," Ardeth answers her despite Rick's silent motion for him to drop the subject.

"Oh God, not this again," Kat growls low and shakes her head. "I swear a tree can grow in the wrong direction in this country and all of a sudden it's burdened with a sacred destiny."

"Kat," Rick warns cautiously.

Ardeth ignores the man, standing to his feet and stepping around the small fire they've built to keep them warm against the desert's cool nights, "You and your brother must understand that there are more powerful forces at work around you. Evil has put things out of balance and Light has chosen its warriors to keep that balance in check."

"We are not madjai," Kat enunciates her words threateningly, frustration beginning to turn her tone deep and sharp.

"No you are not," Ardeth answers with his own voice changing defensively, "You are sacred madjai, warriors for God. And more than that, you are also the reincarnation of a weapon sworn to protect mankind from the very creature that is now threatening the world. If you do not embrace this part of yourself you have denied for so long, I fear it will destroy you. Bastet is your-."

"NO!" Everyone on deck jumps at Kat's outburst and freeze when she spins on the madjai and closes in on him. Her green eyes flare with raging anger as she stops on the top step so that she's eye to eye with Ardeth and able to stare him down. "I. Am. Me! I am no one else! Bastet was just some girl from a long time ago who made a poor decision and then allowed herself to get dragged off by _your_ ancestors to get cursed."

Ardeth's eyes narrow and his own temper flares dangerously the second she practically spits out that it was the fault of the madjai for the whole situation, "They were doing what they thought was right-."

Kat bares her teeth and cuts him off, "They sacrificed a girl because they got too scared to do a job for themselves." Her eyes turn cold and sarcastic as she looks his form up and down, "Looks like you still can't handle the job. You failed. Twice."

Ardeth opens his mouth to react but Rick and Evie quickly step in to break them up. Evie hurries to pull the stiff form of the madjai back while Rick grips a stern arm around his sister's shoulders and pushes her back a few feet. She struggles against him, clearing wanting to go after Ardeth again, but Rick holds tighter.

He's never seen her like this before. Sure she's always had a short fuse, she teased, she's defensive, and sometimes way too protective, but she has never been cruel. This isn't his sister; this is something else. This anger isn't hers.

"That's enough, Katherine. Stop!" Rick orders.

At his words, Kat suddenly shakes her head and blinks quickly as if snapping out of a trance and her eyes find her brother's unsteadily. Confusion passes over her face and she looks around at everyone else around the deck at the mixed emotions staring back at her. That's when Rick sees the realization cross her face and she pales even more than she already has.

Her heart starts hammering rapidly in her chest so much so that he can feel it against his arm. Pushing away from him, Kat hurries across the deck, making sure to keep her distance from everyone, and then disappears behind the make-shift shelter covering the helm where Izzy stands.

The pilot opens his mouth to say something but instead smarts up and goes back to reading his charts quietly. Best not to get in the middle of that.

* * *

Kat drops to her knees in the back corner of the deck and collapses against the wall of the railing beside her. Her breath is heavy, beating in time with her panicking heart beat as a throbbing pounds through her skull, but she ignores it as she concentrates on keeping her horror inside.

What had she just done?! That wasn't her! That couldn't have been her! It wasn't… Right?

No, the anger wasn't hers…but the words had been. Kat squeezes her eyes shut. She might as well have just thrust her own knife through his chest. That would have been less painful than what she'd just done to him.

She remembers the anger that had come over his face, darker than she's ever seen from him or even thought him capable of. And yet more than that, she had seen the deep hurt spark behind his dark brown eyes; eyes that had so many times shown her kindness and worry.

Her head sinks lower into the shadows of the corner as the shaking starts to shiver up her spine from another cold spell starting to take over her. And she isn't going to try to stop this one. She forces her body to relax and welcomes the violent shivers that wreck her body. She refuses to allow her arms to try and wrap around her in a feeble attempt to battle the cold.

She won't fight it. She deserves this for being so weak, for allowing such venom to take control of her.

It wasn't like this nine years ago. Back then it had just been her and the weapon. Bastet had simply been the fuel, joined to the weapon by the curse, and her anger gave power to the weapon itself.

Kat had just been the vessel.

But this is different. What ever happened during the initial awakening must've done something. Evie had explained to them all that Imhotep had attacked the weapon with some red haze stuff after he had said something. No matter how much Kat tries to push her brain to remember something about that night, to find some kind of answers, all she can recall is that weird limbo she had been trapped in.

Now it's like the weapon has been separated and they've all been thrown out of alignment. Now Bastet's anger is free to lash out whenever it wants. It's slowly eating Kat alive and she's not sure if she can fight it. It's more powerful than she could've ever imagined; like acid fire with the power of a hurricane behind it.

Every time it hits her, Kat can feel herself being battered into submission.

Each time her will to fight weakens.

There's no way she can survive this.

* * *

Karnak appears on the horizon like a shining beacon of hope and rescue; cabin-fever is settling in much too comfortably in Kat and she's going more stir crazy by the minute. She's the first to head to the railing of the dirigible and waits until the ground below is within safe jumping distance before leaping out. The sands below burst up as her weight hits with an almost silent _poof_.

Her brother and Ardeth land after her and head for the train waiting soundlessly beyond the temple site. Kat and Evie head inside to do their own search. Statues on pedestals, pools, and pillars both fallen and standing bar her way and make a full out run next to impossible so Kat slows to a jog as her eyes scan for movement from the enemy.

There are signs everywhere of human activity but no humans to be seen besides their own group: footprints in the sand, discarded clothes and wood from fires, and even an abandoned tool or two.

But no actual people.

Kat tries to track the footprints but there are so many going in so many different directions that all she gets in the process is a headache. She's about to give up completely when Evie's loud cries cause her to race off towards the direction the shouts come from.

"RICK!"

On the way through the maze that is the temple, Kat nearly runs into her brother and Ardeth if not for the sharp turn she makes to avoid them. They ready their weapons for an attack only to find Evie standing alone by the base of a sphinx statue and gazing down at something in her hands. Upon reaching her side, Kat discovers a familiar green and yellow tie in the woman's grasp. She holds it out for Rick to see as he comes to a stop at her side while her own gaze drops to the sand at her feet.

"Alex left us his tie," she explains before they all kneel down to get a better look at the obstruction in the sand, "And…he made us a little sandcastle. It's the Temple Island of Philae. They've gone to Philae."

"Atta boy, Alex!" Rick states proudly before grabbing Evie by the elbow and helping her to her feet. "Come on!"

They all follow after him in a hurry but it's Kat who stumbles to a pause at the sight that catches her eyes and drops a heavy weight into her stomach. Near the statue, a wooden stake stands erect out of the sand and a thick chain drapes over it, sporting a shackle big enough to circle the wrist or ankle of a child.

Her blood turns to ice in her veins as she thinks, _They had him in chains! Oh my God!_

A large hand grabs her elbow gently and she turns to find Ardeth there. He remains a large distance away, to her chagrin, and his dark eyes are well guarded. Guilt breaks her heart. He shifts his gaze momentarily to the chains before returning it to hers.

"We must go."

Nodding, Kat follows after him hesitantly but not before throwing back one last look at the spot where Alex had once been held captive. They return to the confining space of the dirigible but their spirits have lifted in hope. Alex and his captors had been here.

It's only a matter of time before they catch up to them.

Kat busies herself with the only thing that she can find to do to pass the time and that's cleaning her knives. Sadly, she's done this so many times that she's starting to worry she'll start cleaning the blades down to stubs pretty soon if she isn't given the chance to move.

Izzy said the next leg of their journey wouldn't take as long this time and he was true to his word. Within much less time this go around, the Temple of Philae comes within view just as the sun begins to drop from its highest point in the sky.

Rick finds the clue left by Alex this time, hidden under the cover of his jacket to keep it obscured from wandering eyes.

Evie deciphers the sand castle clue easily, "The great Temple of Abu Simbel."

They all look up at Ardeth who writes down the information and attaches it to Horus before sending the bird off into the skies once more to deliver the message to the commanders and their armies behind them.

Kat follows the falcon to the skies above and watches him for a long time until he vanishes within the sun. A feeling of being watched forces her to turn and investigate the origins of the sensation and she finds Ardeth's dark gaze on her once more.

Still guarded heavily, those dark eyes almost seem to darken when their gazes meet and guilt forces Kat to drop hers to the ground where it belongs.

Would this problem ever be resolved?

Would she ever win back his trust?

 _Do I even deserve it?_ , she argues with her conscious silently as they all return to the dirigible. Deep in her heart, she knows that she doesn't.

* * *

Author's Note:

Just FYI:

 _Italicized words:_ personal thoughts or sounds or words said in Egyptian language.

 ** _Italicized/Bolded words_** : power infused words of otherworldly beings said in Egyptian language (AKA: Imhotep or Bastet)


	8. Chapter 8

_Chapter 8 is a go!_

 _Thanks a bunch for your patience!_

 _-Ravyne_

 _(Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the 'MUMMY' movies or any of their characters. Just my characters Katherine and Bastet belong to me.)_

* * *

 **Life Forsakes Her**

 **Chapter 8:**

"Katherine, I really wish you'd try to sleep or at least eat or drink something," Evie whispers to the young woman as she comes to stand by her side at the railing and rub her shoulder soothingly.

"Maybe you've forgotten, E, but I'm kinda cursed," Kat raises an eyebrow at her sister-in-law almost as if to question her memory. "I've already tried to sleep, I can't."

"But something is different this time. Imhotep did something to the curse, maybe it has changed things so much that you'd be allowed to eat or drink. Please try to…for me?"

Kat fights an eye roll and ignores the frustration building in her chest as she turns to fully face the woman. She starts to chant in her mind to fight the anger, keep it at bay…

It's the sight of Ardeth standing in her blind spot at Evie's other side that quells the simmering rage in her blood instantly, surprising her. He holds out a green apple to her, his eyes flat and emotionless as she stares back but when her guilt hits her again Kat tears her eyes away and forces herself to focus on the apple in his hands.

She fights a curious smile, _How'd he know that green apples were my favorite?_ Kat throws a suspicious glance at Evie who just smiles innocently.

Sighing, her hand reaches forwards hesitantly and hovers about the apples surface shakily and unsure. Ardeth lifts his hand abruptly and the apple fits perfectly into her palm. Their skins brush. Heat claws up her neck as flashes of their time at the library come rushing back to her.

Words had been said, hands had wondered…

 _No, Kat…_ , she tells herself as she pushes the memories away and sadness sinks in. _Forget it. You lost your chance when you allowed this stupid curse to control you_.

It's in that second that she swears, even if it costs her life, Kat won't let this thing take over her again.

She takes up the apple, pulling away from the warmth of his flesh and holds it up to get a better look at it. The moonlight shimmers across the smooth green surface making it shine almost like a jewel and her mouth waters. She swallows that bit of blessed water and almost dies at the slight relief it brings to her parched throat.

Shrugging, Kat opens her mouth, releases a heavy exhale, and then bites through the skin.

Her whole body lurches as she leans over the side of the railing and vomits up sand and bile mixing to mud in her mouth with a fit of violent coughs. She can feel Evie at her side instantly, pulling back the loose strands of hair from her face and rubbing her shoulder comfortingly. A second hand, larger and so much warmer, takes up her other shoulder firmly. Despite her state, Kat can feel the hesitation in his fingers for a long moment before his grip tightens gently, showing that he still feels sympathy towards her.

From any other guy, she probably would've pushed them away and told them she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, but this is Ardeth. This is the guy who somehow makes her feel perfectly capable and yet at the same time yearn to be protected. It confuses her to no end.

"I'm so sorry," Evie whispers softly to her, sounding more like a mother than she ever has.

Kat can feel the anger inside of her spike immediately in a flash as she wipes the sandy mud from around her mouth. She turns her eyes towards her and tilts her hand so that Evie can see the fruits of her hope. Evie's eyes widen a little worriedly.

Words build at the back of her mouth as the anger floods but Kat quickly squeezes her eyes shut and clenches her fist. The anger swells in frustration and Kat digs her nails into her palm. The pain does something; it brings control back into her grasp. The anger slinks away.

After a long moment to calm herself, Kat opens her eyes and smiles tightly at Evie, "It's fine. Thanks for trying and for worrying about me. I really appreciate it." She pulls out her knife, trying desperately to ignore the warmth from Ardeth's large hand still lingering on her shoulder, and cuts out the half of the apple she had tried to bite from. She hands the remainder back to her sister-in-law, "Take it. You guys will need the strength…even if you won't have mine."

Evie places a hand over hers, staring into her eyes sternly, "We are going to beat this, Katherine."

Kat forces her smile to widen, "I know." The two women hug tightly and Kat sends up a silent prayer of thanks for being allowed such a wonderful sister in her life.

Evie leaves her to her thoughts, and apparently Ardeth whose hand hesitantly slides from her shoulder, leaving a trail of cold heat across her skin even though they hadn't been touching directly since she's returned her hooded pull over to her body to help keep her warm. She looks up as he follows after Evie past her and nearly dies when he doesn't allow her a passing glance.

Turning back to the railing, she holds her hand out over the side of the ship and opens the fist her left hand has made. Warm blood spills from her palm, dripping off into the cold night below them.

* * *

Abu Simbel comes next. It looks nothing like a temple from the outside to Kat. Rather ruins half buried under sand blown in from numerous sandstorms across the centuries. The late morning sun brings the vibrant sand and stone walls of the temple to life and she chews on her lip anxiously. This is one place she's never gotten around to visiting and she's itching to take a look inside.

Izzy ties off a rope to the dirigible and hands the rest of the coil to Rick, "There's nowhere to safely land, so you'll have to climb down. Try not to fire off any rounds in my direction this time."

The deck chuckles.

"Alright, Izzy, stay within shouting distance, I want to make a quick escape if necessary. Jonathan, you come with us. Kat, I want you to stay here and protect the ship and make sure Izzy doesn't run off."

Kat spins on him in alarm, mouth gapping like a fish and eyes glaring wide at him as if he had just told her that he was firing her from being his sister. He might as well have been. She knows what he's really telling her to do: he wants her to stay and rest up.

"Wha...?" she starts to argue but Rick turns away from her and goes to discuss something with Izzy before her argument can take form. Her eyes go to Evie next who looks away, then to Jonathan who shrugs and obviously agrees with Rick's decision, and then finally to Ardeth who clears his throat and turns away. "Great," Kat grumbles, "Glad to know everyone's on his side."

"Katherine-," Evie tries to explain but Kat ignores her, turns to her bag, and grabs her gloves. She slips them on and secures the ties at her wrist. By this time Rick has turned from Izzy and spots her.

"Kat, don't even think about it!"

She flips the rope coil on the railing over the side where it drops to the temple below and then leaps over the side. Kat's gloves take most of the abrasion from the rope as she slides down quickly and lands in the sand. Her legs absorb the impact but getting up is a stiffer process than she had thought it would be. Apparently, her body is starting to show signs of slowing.

"Katherine!"

She ignores her brother's obvious vexation with her refusal to listen to anyone and need to put herself in danger. She can't help it; she hates being told what to do. She's a grown woman not a child who needs to be babysat. As she approaches the temple entrance, she slows down and draws out her knives from her belt around her waist. For a brief moment, her gaze lingers on the cursed markings that circle her wrists like shackles and then travel up the insides of her arms to her shoulders and beyond.

Did they look lighter somehow?

Her eyes shift cautiously ahead of her as she looks for any signs of an ambush ahead; things are too quiet here. As soon as her brother and everyone else make their way down the rope safely, Kat steps through the archway and into the first hallway beyond. Tall statues line either side of the hall but it's impossible to tell how tall they are seeing as so much sand has blown in that it piles all the way up to their knees.

"Geez, that's a lot of sand," she thinks aloud, jumping slightly at how booming her voice sounds down the great hall.

"Sandstorms are rather numerous in these parts."

Kat spins around at Evie's voice and her eyes narrow in confusion. The woman is still outside the temple standing next to her husband and everyone does one last check on their weapons. Interested, Kat lowers her voice in the slightest and calls back, "Can you hear me?"

"Yes, quite clearly in fact," Evie's voice as she steps into the temple goes from normal to loud in almost an instant as it echoes through the hall as Kat's does.

"That's really weird."

"No weirder than your constant need to show off," Rick retorts as he cocks his gun and walks past her.

She glares at his sarcasm, "It's not showing off, it's rebelling. You need to stop being so bossy and let me take care of myself cause I'm fully capable of doing so."

"Oh, stop it you two," Evie's motherly instincts kick in and she shuts the siblings up easily. They make their way watchfully to the inner temple and stop at the top of the stairs leading down into the great room beyond. They all stare in awe.

The ceilings are high, giving the impression of great wealth and power, tall statues and pillars all painted in gold dot the room, and two giant pools fill the rest of the area in the center. Centuries of sandstorms must've blown further in than any of them originally thought because the statues here are buried up to their knees as well.

"Alright, Evie and I will head down the right," Rick starts dividing up duties, "Jonathan, you go down the center, Ardeth, take the left if you don't mind, and Kat-."

"Don't you dare tell me to stay here and guard the entrance," Kat glares. Her words echo into the room and sand spills down from the ceiling, making them all freeze and go silent. The room settles down again. Kat swallows nervously.

"I say we keep communications to a minimum, if possible," Rick eyeballs the roof questioningly.

"I'll say Marco," his sister remarks.

"Polo."

Kat smiles at her brother before taking a step forward and-.

"I think I'll go with Katherine and we'll take the center," Evie announces randomly before starting down the steps. Kat blinks in surprise, glancing at her sister-in-law as if she'd grown two heads, but really gets confused when the woman wraps her arm through hers and drags her along after her. She tries to throw her brother a silent _help me_ but Rick turns away too quickly to save her.

The lower floor of the great room is buried so deep with sand it's hard to tell where the steps end. The countless sandstorms have left the water in the pools murky over time and now obscure vision to the bottom. Kat's sure every foot of these pools used to be inlaid with gold and jewels back when Egypt was ruled by Pharaoh's.

"So," Evie starts with a low voice and an uneasy glance up at the ceiling. "What is going on between you and Ardeth?"

Her bluntness cause Kat to stumble a step, "Excuse me?"

"Oh, don't be so modest. We're family; you can tell me."

"There's nothing to tell," Kat quickly turns away before the heat crawling up her neck can paint her face and give her away.

"Oh, I'm sure there's not," she teases the young woman.

"There's not," Kat tilts her head up and continues on ahead.

Evie gasps excitedly and hurries to catch up to her, "That just confirms it! So what happened? Something had to have happened. There was too much chemistry between you two when you left for that library. I mean, the man is something to look at—strong, courageous, loyal…not to mention handsome."

Kat has settled on scratching the side of her face to keep herself quiet and distracted from Evie's teasing, but the woman's list has her mind wondering back to her memories of the library. Ardeth had been all those things…and so much more.

She can't help but speak aloud with a smile pulling at the corner of her lips as her hand drops to rest around her neck where Ardeth had once touched her so softly nine years ago, "And patient, and smart, and caring, and gentle, and warm, and-."

"Gentle and warm?! I knew it," Evie's jaw drops and her eyes grow to the size of saucers. "Something did happen. He didn't hurt you did her?!" Evie grabs Kat by the shoulders and jerks her to a sharp stop.

They both look towards the ceiling as sand shifts loose from above and pours down on them. When it stops, Kat throws a glare at the woman, "No, he didn't! Nothing like that happened."

She tries to walk away again, leaving Evie behind in a cloud of confusion, but the silence doesn't last long. She suddenly gasps and rushes to grab hold of her again, "My God, you didn't… **that** didn't happen, did it?!"

For a long second, Kat isn't sure what Evie means by **that** but then realizations slams into her gut and she all but chokes on her surprise, "What?! No!"

They both flinch as the ceiling trembles harder and sand practically rains down on them.

"What are you two arguing about?" Rick hisses from somewhere off to their right.

"Nothing," they call a unison panic, effectively causing another sand shower.

"Well, keep it down, would you, or you'll bring the whole ceiling down on us," Jonathan shoots back from the opposite direction in annoyance.

Silence follows the conversation. At least until Evie opens her mouth to try and interrogate Kat again, "What-?"

"No!" she hisses. "Nothing like that happened and no he didn't lay a hand on me…at least not in a harmful way."

"So there was hand touching," Evie grins wider.

Kat groans and walks away, giving up. There's no talking to the woman when she's like this. Rick finds the next clue about ten minutes later, calling Marco to the group. They all race over and Evie deciphers the clue.

"The Blue Nile."

"Alright, let's go!" Rick calls. Everyone heads back towards the entrance, swinging around one of the two pools in the center of the room, when out of the blue a cold spell slams into Kat's body. She crumbles to the floor beneath her feet.

"Kat!" Jonathan gasps as he stumbles to a quick stop before running over her.

"Rick!" Evie calls to her husband as she quickly drops to Kat's side and Rick rushes back to them.

"I knew I should've made her stay on the ship," Rick mumbles and he rubs his sister's trembling shoulders. Kat can't help but be annoyed by his comment. She wants to argue back. She wants to prove that she can fight this. Sadly the words get snagged in her quaking chest. Instead, she reaches out and grabs the edge of the pool next to her body and forces herself to her knees. Hands grab her from all directions to steady her.

"Katherine, stay still!"

She pushes Rick's hands away weakly just as her hand on the edge of the pool gives way and the already weak siding crumbles beneath her weight. Her arm is dropped into the murky, sandy stagnant waters and there's a flash of neon green light that engulfs the entire room.

Everyone pulls away to cover their eyes from the blinding light only to have it vanish as soon as it appears. They all look up slowly.

Kat stands straight, staring down at herself. Her eyes are glowing as if the weapon has replaced her consciousness but something is off. Her face is confused as it peers down at her body. The runes along her body are no longer just simple black tattoos, they glow with her eyes, pulsing in time with her heart.

"What just happened?" Jonathan inquires.

Evie's eyes stare intently at her sister-in-law as she slowly stands to her feet. The young woman is glancing from herself to the water in the pools still rippling from the disturbance. Her eyes follow Kat's gaze towards the pools next to them. She had read about this temple before. Ramesses had built this one and an identical one not far away for his most beloved wife and then placed his most trusted priests and priestesses in charge of its keeping. Some believed that the pools had special powers and there are claims from the priests who kept these temples that they received visions from them.

 _I wonder…_ , Evie's eyes find Kat's again and she softly gasps as the glowing in her eyes and on the runes dies away. The strange look in her eyes remains however and Evie is sure that her suspicions are correct.

"Kat," the woman takes a step towards her, "What did you see?"

"See?" Rick coughs.

Kat continues to stare at the water as if lost deep in her thoughts but she finds her voice despite her uncertainty, "I…I saw a blade…pointed at my chest."

Beside her, Evie can see Ardeth stiffen and distantly her inner self smiles with hope, but she keeps her focus on the situation, "Who was attacking you?"

Kat's confusion deepens, "I was… I held the knife."

* * *

Author's Note:

Just FYI:

 _Italicized words:_ personal thoughts or sounds or words said in Egyptian language.

 ** _Italicized/Bolded words_** : power infused words of otherworldly beings said in Egyptian language (AKA: Imhotep or Bastet)


	9. Chapter 9

_Chapter 9 is a go!_

 _Thanks a bunch for your patience!_

 _-Ravyne_

 _(Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the 'MUMMY' movies or any of their characters. Just my characters Katherine and Bastet belong to me.)_

* * *

 **Life Forsakes Her**

 **Chapter 9:**

Everything happens at once and it only makes Kat's headache worse with all the other chaos going on in her mind. What the heck had been up with the vision that came rushing into her brain?

Rick is the first to explode, "What are you talking about?! You've never tried to kill yourself!"

"She's going through a bad time now but our Kat wouldn't do that," Jonathan agrees.

"It was a vision, Rick. It could be something from the future," Evie grips her husband's arm gently to calm him but nothing seems to be able to quell the man's outrage.

"Katherine wouldn't do that!" he demands.

Kat blinks and tries to block out the uproar around her so she can try to make sense of the fragmented image that she had seen. Surly that hadn't been her hand, not one that held a knife to her chest. Kat has never been that low in life. She would never think about doing that. This just didn't make any sense.

Absentmindedly, her hand reaches up and touches the center of her chest where she can still feel where the ghost of a blade had dug into her flesh.

Something clicks then.

Gripping the collar of her shirt, she tugs it down far enough until the birthmark in the center of her chest is visible…a birthmark so much like a scar that it sends a cold shiver down her spine.

The group's arguing springs back to life again as if someone has turned up the volume on the radio suddenly.

"Rick," she manages to choke out.

Her brother's back is turned from her, his hands flying wildly as he argues the points brought up in their discussion. Even Ardeth appears unhinged by the vision.

"Rick," Kat tries again with more force. The group turns to her then and she pulls her shirt down to reveal the birthmark to her brother and the rest of their company. Her eyes pin on her brother as the realization continues to chill her blood to ice, "This isn't a birthmark, it's a scar."

"But you never-."

"It's not mine!" she cuts off her brother's argument. Her eyes shift to Ardeth's in a panic, "Can these sorts of things be passed from one incarnation to another?"

The madjai drops his dark gaze to the ground, shaking his head slowly, "It has never been recorded but it is not impossible."

"Bastet tried to kill herself," Kat breathes as the horror finally sets in and her head falls. "At the library, I read up more about her. After Imhotep murdered the Pharaoh, she tried to end the shame he had brought upon them by killing herself. She tried to stab a knife through her heart…" her eyes fall to the scar on her chest.

"Why?" Evie asks slowly. "Why would Imhotep's actions cause her shame?"

"Imhotep was the high priest of the Pharaoh. According to the records we found, Bastet was also a priestess under him. For Imhotep to break the law as he did he would tarnish the reputation of the priesthood," Ardeth explains when Kat doesn't respond.

"His actions would cause all of them to look responsible," Rick replies in agreement.

"Then why didn't she just run?"

They all turn back to Kat. She has turned a ways away from them to gaze at the water of the pool behind her.

"She would have been caught eventually and mummified with the rest-."

"No," Kat interrupts Ardeth softly. "The other priests didn't try to kill themselves from the shame like she did. They tried to run and were caught, yeah, but why didn't she try to do the same? There has to be another reason. That can't be all there is to it. Shame wouldn't cause someone to try to kill themselves like that, would it?"

Evie takes a cautious step towards her and holds out a hand, "Kat, we'll find out why later when-."

"No. I'll find out now." Kat moves in such a quick fluid motion that no one realizes what she's doing until the last second. She leaps over the edge of the pool and into the water, blinking as it splashes up around her. It's deeper than she thought and it just goes deeper as she heads towards the center.

The runes on her flesh start glowing again, the light working its way up her body towards her face.

"Kat, stop this! We don't know what this will do to you!" Evie cries. Rick starts pulling off his guns so that he can go in after her and Ardeth moves to do the same.

Kat stares down at the water, now up to her waist, and observes the warmth, like fire, licking up her skin as each tattoo lights up one after the other. When she feels the new ones around her neck begin to burn, she takes a deep breath and collapses her knees. Her head sinks beneath the surface and all the sounds around her become muffled and distant in a snap.

The heat radiates to her eyes and beats at her eyelids until she's forced to open them against the blaze.

* * *

 _She closed the door behind her as she entered her small room and lingered by the open window which overlooked the street below. Her hand swept the dark heavy curtain further aside so she could gaze into the plaza below. Merchants were selling their goods, couples were walking the streets, and children were playing tag amongst the many decorative merchant stands. A few of those children had joined in the game for one simple purpose and that wasn't to have fun._

 _A smile pulled at the corner of her lips. She remembered when she had once been one of those children, joining in games that kept the sellers confused enough for her to steal an apple or two._

 _The green ones had always been her favorite._

 _Imhotep had always snagged one for her since she was always only brave enough to go after the small loaves of bread. They were lighter and easier to smash flat so she could hide it if necessary. And yet, Imhotep had been there to get her out of trouble. He had the talent._

 _That talent had been the one thing to get them noticed and saved from the streets by the Pharaoh. He had taken note of their gifts, passing by one day on his chariot, and instantly ordered his guards to take them to the palace. Once there, the Pharaoh had opened his home to them and put them under the care and training of his most loyal priests._

 _It was there that she and Imhotep had been able to study and grow. Imhotep's gifts for the priesthood had flourished and he quickly rose through the ranks. He was soon named the Pharaoh's high priest and most trusted adviser._

 _She had been so proud. The priests had taken note of her gifts as well, though not as strong as Imhotep's, she was named a priestess and was put in charge of looking over the Pharaoh's daughter._

 _Their lives had changed so much. It had become so much better simply because Imhotep had been destined for greatness. He had brought her along too and said that she too was marked by a great fate. She had never believed him but she had loved how much faith he had had in her and knew that she would follow him anywhere no matter the danger._

 _She loved him._

* * *

Kat breaks the surface of the water, her need for oxygen burning her lungs and tearing her from the vision, and she gasps for air. Rick and Ardeth are on either side of her and grab hold of her arms to hold her up. Her tattoos and eyes still glow, reflecting around their legs in the water eerily.

She coughs and coughs and coughs, unable to fully stand on her trembling legs. Her whole body feels like jello; void of all her strength. Rick pulls her arm over his shoulders and starts to drag her towards the edge of the pool.

 _No_ , she thinks. _Not yet!_

Kat pushes him away with all the strength she can muster and tries to turn back towards the deeper part of the pool. Everything looks like it's washed over in red. Ardeth holds fast to her other arm trying to stop her but she fights as hard as she can against his hold.

She can hear them yelling something at her but she just doesn't care. She has to know. She has to understand.

With one final push, Kat let's her weight fall and Ardeth is forced to let her fall so he doesn't go with her. The water's surface breaks again violently as her back crashes against it and it swallows her. Her eyes tear open, glowing even brighter as the next vision washes over her.

* * *

 _Imhotep's hold on her hand loosened just in the slightest as they ducked into the shadows and slipped behind the heavy curtain next to a large window. Hidden in the shadows from within and yet bathed in the moonlit from without, they both go silent as the madjai passed in their nightly rounds._

 _Through the sheer curtain, she could see Anen's gaze sweep the part of the hall where they had been standing and she quickly ducked away. They listened as their heavy footsteps disappeared down the hallways of the palace and then their eyes found each other's in silence. A smile painted their faces as they chuckled quietly._

 _Imhotep pulled her out from behind the curtain so the moon light could better wash over them and he turned her towards the window. Since being brought to the palace when they were children, their lives had just gotten better and better. Where they once had been living in the hall with the rest of the priests, now the Pharaoh ordered that they live in the palace with the rest of his family._

 _It was all because of Imhotep. His gifts had brought them their good fortune._

 _She glanced up at the tall man standing at her side and pride filled her heart as she smiled. He had become so much stronger than when they were children stealing in the streets of Egypt._

 _Imhotep must've sensed her stare because his smile pulled at his mouth even though he didn't turn to meet her loving gaze, "What do you ponder about, my dear?"_

 _Her smile widened and she tightened her grasp on his larger hand, "About you. About how far you have come."_

 _He chuckled, "You mean, how far **we** have come."_

 _Her heart fluttered in her chest at his words._

 _Imhotep turned to her and grasped her shoulders gently, "You have come so far as well. The Pharaoh has entrusted you with his most beloved daughter."_

 _She nodded and dropped her eyes from his intense ones, "She will meet the Pharaoh's new intended mistress soon when she arrives in a fortnight. He says they will fight the trial to see if she will either take her place as her father's protector or the guardian of the sacred bracelet. I worry about her daily."_

 _Imhotep's hands tightened warmly along her bare shoulders, his thumbs brushing across her flesh, and she shivered. He placed his forehead against hers and sighed, "Under your guidance, I know the princess with meet her destiny without fear."_

 _She leaned her head against his broad, bare chest and sighed happily as he wrapped his arms around her. She would never want to be anywhere else than in the circle of his arms. Her arms wound their way around his waist and their embrace strengthened as the moon looked down on them silently._

 _"I hope so too," she whispered._

* * *

Kat gasps against the burning in her lungs again as her head breaks the surface of the water. Her head is spinning so much this time that she is hardly able to find her legs and get them under her. Someone grabs her hand and slips an arm under hers to lift her up while she coughs up a storm. Voices scream at her, someone else is shaking her, but all of it is so far away from her that she doesn't have a care.

The vision had been much sharper than the last, almost as if she had been looking directly into Bastet's mind. The colors were so vivid and clear and she could almost feel everything that happened.

Her hands were covered with the feeling of Imhotep's flesh under hers. She could feel Bastet's heart hammering as if it were her own.

The whole thing scared her to death. Certainly Bastet's feeling weren't becoming her own…?

A voice approaches closer to her position and starts to distantly call her name. She can feel her head lift and her eyes open. They sting like acid, tears streaming down her face, and she's sure they are blazing green as she takes in the person coming towards her. She can't really make out much of the blurry image except that everything is washed over in red.

The weapon seems to know something though because her mouth opens against her will and the voice that comes out isn't hers. If anything, the venom behind it makes Kat wonder if Bastet is really the one that has taken over because the language that she speaks isn't English.

" _ **You worry about this child, princess? Do you wish to see why it is I will do everything in my power to kill the betrayer? Even if it means sacrificing this girl's life?**_ "

The blurry image in Kat's line of sight clears and she sees Evie standing before her, colored over in the beating red of her vision. The woman looks half scared for her life but she takes a step towards her and Kat screams at her to run. Her screams don't make it to her mouth of course and her body doesn't act as she wants. Instead, her free arm extends towards Evie and offers her a hand.

" _ ** _Come see why I care not for what happens to this world. See why he will die by my hand!_** "_

Evie takes Kat's hand without a second thought, another distant voice screaming at her not to, and her vision suddenly goes dark. The voices screaming become louder almost abruptly as Kat can feel herself begin to sink.

The person behind her lets their hold on her loosen briefly the second she finds her footing and she uses that small advantage to fall from their grasp and sink back under the water. She can't let herself believe that Bastet's feelings are influencing her now. She'll prove that wrong.

The next vision takes over her as her eyes open and the brightness all but turns the entire pool to light.

* * *

 _She watched the woman kneel before the Pharaoh respectfully before he allowed her to rise so he could appreciate her beauty. And the woman was beautiful. The Pharaoh himself had instantly order that no man was to touch her but him alone as she was the most beautiful woman in all of Egypt and only a jewel of her kind was meant to be his._

 _She had admitted that the woman was exotic looking. Every man appraised her as she walked by him. Even the madjai, who were trained from the beginning not to move, fidgeted as she floated by._

 _As the introduction assembly was dismissed, she found the princess and escorted her from the throne room. The young woman was oddly quiet afterwards so she tilted her head towards the royal._

 _"Your highness…is there something troubling you?" she asked._

 _Princess Nefertiri blinked out of her deep thoughts and turned to quickly smile, "No, no, I am fine. I am happy for my father."_

 _She observed the woman closely and instantly knew the woman was lying, "I am sure the Pharaoh is happy…but are you?"_

 _"I am sure the woman is a kind person," the princess replies halfheartedly as she pauses by the window to stare up at the setting sun and the ghostly image of the moon that hasn't fully appeared in the darkening sky above._

 _She wanted to insist on knowing what the woman had meant but the sound of approaching footsteps made them both pause in their conversation. She didn't need to turn around to know who advanced towards them, she would know his pace anywhere. A smile had already begun to widen across her face._

 _Imhotep bowed to the princess who smiled at him before she touched her arm gently, "I must be returning to meet with my father."_

 _"Good evening, you highness," she and Imhotep replied and bowed as the royal moved passed them to return to her father's side._

 _The second they were alone, Imhotep pulled her into his arms and she instantly relaxed from the days stressful events. He rubbed his thumbs over her shoulders gently for a long moment as the moonlight began filtering in through the window and lighting the hallway with a pale glow. She breathed in the moment, tasting the scent of the incense that Imhotep and the priests had used in their prayer ceremony before the Pharaoh had revealed his new mistress to the court._

 _"The Pharaoh has placed confidence in me," Imhotep whispered to her._

 _She looked up at him, "What has he said?"_

 _Imhotep stared down at her, reaching up to brush a few of her bangs off of her forehead softly and sending a shiver down her spine, "He has shown favor in you once again. He wishes you to watch over his new mistress as her priestess."_

 _"You mean, I would have to leave the princess's side?" her face pinched in sadness for a moment but Imhotep's words washed it away instantly._

 _"You would be made the priestess of a queen."_

 _"Nefertiri, will one day be a queen in her own time."_

 _"There will be many years before her time comes. You must follow your destiny, your path, first before you can begin to help the ones you care about most. I believe your destiny awaits with this new queen. Learn and grow as I know you will, then when the princess takes the throne you will lead her and her kingdom to a brighter future," he assured her as he traced his fingers down the side of her face and along her jaw._

 _Her mouth went slack under his touch, her lips parting slightly as she internally begged for him to kiss her. She knew he couldn't—a priest must remain clean until his priesthood season came to an end—but what she wouldn't give to feel his lips against hers._

 _As if hearing her internal pleas, Imhotep leaned forward with a smile and kissed her forehead tenderly, turning her insides to fire. How could she ever want anything else in life? She wouldn't. This is what she wanted more than anything. She would become a strong priestess, she would make him even more proud of her, and then when they finally settled down and were released from their binds to the Pharaoh she would spend the rest of her life making sure he was happy._

 _She loved him so. He never failed to amaze her. He was always there for her, giving her support and courage along the difficult road her priestess duties brought to her, and he never lost faith in her._

 _She loved him so…how could she have ever been blessed with such a wonderful brother?_

* * *

Author's Note:

Just FYI:

 _Italicized words:_ personal thoughts or sounds or words said in Egyptian language.

 ** _Italicized/Bolded words_** : power infused words of otherworldly beings said in Egyptian language (AKA: Imhotep or Bastet)


	10. Chapter 10

_Chapter 10 is a go!_

 _Thanks a bunch for your patience!_

 _-Ravyne_

 _(Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the 'MUMMY' movies or any of their characters. Just my characters Katherine and Bastet belong to me.)_

* * *

 **Life Forsakes Her**

 **Chapter 10:**

The journey continues. Except now the passengers on board have had their high spirits shaken to the core. Everyone has chosen to remain silent after Evie had explained what had happened in the vision she shared with Kat. She had waited for the young woman to seclude herself even more than what she's been doing for the last couple of days before she opened her mouth to fill in everyone on what she had seen.

Now everyone sits silently around the fire blazing in the center of the deck. Rick has settled on fiddling nervously with a knife in his hands. Evie shifts back and forth across the deck, unable to sit still because of her nerves. Jonathan watches his sister and brother-in-law's growing anxiety with worry. Ardeth has found a place at the forefront of the deck near the bowsprit to practically turn to stone as he gazes off at the darkening horizon.

No one wants to put into words yet what has happened.

Everyone fears of what it will break if they do.

Even Izzy is afraid to speak anything to the group. He was only told to head towards the Blue Nile so he busies himself with his chart, every so often glancing up uneasily at the passengers fidgeting across his deck. He throws a quick look over the back of his shoulder towards the back of the ship.

Kat had moved to place herself there away from everyone else. Now she's hunkered against the back wall with her arms folded over the railing as she gazes out at the world they leave behind.

Izzy watches her for a moment longer before turning back to the front where his charts await him. As he stares down at the map, the only thing in his life he loves doing besides flying, the lines start to tangle up before his eyes and blur. At first he starts thinking that maybe he's getting a headache from all the insanity he's decided to fly around…

But inside, he knows it's his conscience trying to tell him to do the right thing because the lines on the map start forming words like 'say something', 'comfort them', 'be smart'. Izzy heaves a sigh, his shoulders slumping as he rolls his eyes.

He lowers his voice towards his oldest friend, Rick, who is much more approachable than his sister, "O'Connell, I know it's not my place, but something needs to be said. You can't all shut down like this."

Rick looks up at him with eyes that are glazed over and dark with emotions.

"You got to say something, boy," Izzy forces his words to be stern but not emotionless as he leans as far over the helm as he can without looking too obvious. "You're the one with the kid who's missing. You need to help your wife, her brother, and your sister because they're going through more now because of all this. I'm not sure how you can help the assassin man but the others need your help. Your sister needs your help."

This seems to snap Rick out of his haze. His eyes find his wife pacing frantically across the short space of the deck worriedly and he climbs to his feet. She's just turning towards him again when he stops in front of her. Evie looks up at him as if she's completely lost and alone.

The sight breaks his heart. He grabs her shoulders and pulls her close to his chest so he can cradle her against him. For a long moment she's just silent but then a sob breaks out of her and Rick begins to softly rock her back and forth smoothly while he rubs her back and kisses her hair.

"What now?" Jonathan calls over softly.

Rick turns to look at his brother-in-law over his shoulder and tries for a smile though it feels stiff and half-hearted, "We keep going. This won't break us. We'll find my son and we'll figure this out all along the way."

"We will," Evie's broken voice agrees as she lifts her head. Eyes red with tears, they're filled with new found determination as she tilts her head back to look up at her husband with a weak smile, "We will because we're family."

Rick smiles back at her before glancing towards Ardeth's stiff form. He reaches out and grabs the man's shoulder and gives it a stern shake. The madjai breaks from his trance and his statue like stance melts back to being human. He hesitantly turns to look back over his shoulder as Rick throws him an understanding look.

"We all are," he tells the madjai. Ardeth's dark gaze loosens at his words and he returns the man's nod reservedly. Evie too reaches out to grab his arm below her husband's hand and smiles at the man.

"Though I don't know if Kat's going to be as easy to convince."

Ardeth and Evie turn to Rick sharply.

Rick's face has fallen again and he drops his hand from the madjai's shoulder as he leans back against the railing. His face darkens and he ages before their eyes. "This has shaken her more than anything really has… Then again, I guess she's been through worse."

"Worse?" Evie wonders softly.

Rick rubs his hands down his face in exhaustion as he relives one of the scariest times in his life, "When we were younger, we were, uh…helping a friend of ours steal a plane to pay back some guys he was in debt too. Things went wrong that night…really wrong." He pauses in the middle of the story as his face pales. Evie takes his hand in hers worriedly and he smiles up at her, bringing her hands close so he can kiss them gingerly.

Rick swallows heavily before continuing, "Kat got hurt…real bad…simply because I trusted someone I shouldn't have. I tried to get her to the doctors as fast as I could… Sadly the damage had already been done. The doctors did all they could, said I should be happy she was alive. I was…until I thought about what my choices had done to her."

Again he pauses.

Evie swallows back the tears forming behind her eyes and touches his face lovingly, "What happened?"

"She…took a lot of damage to her stomach…doctors said she'd never…never be able to have kids," Rick explains. He takes a quick swipe at his eyes before spinning away and gripping the railing angrily.

"Oh God," Evie chokes, placing a trembling hand over her mouth with tears streaming down her face, "That's why she loves Alex so much!"

* * *

Ardeth suddenly understands everything. Rick's recount of his sister's injury…it opens his eyes to so much he didn't realize before. It explains why Kat is so hesitant towards him, why she avoids him…why she ran.

Rick O'Connell turns to look back over his shoulder, the edges of his eyes rimmed in red from unshed tears and Ardeth meets the man's crushed gaze. "I'm sure it's also why she's the way she is around you," Rick explains. Evie glances between the two men.

Ardeth drops his head.

"I didn't trust you, heck, I'm not even sure I trust you completely now. I know you'll have our backs in a fight but with my sister… I don't think I'll ever trust you enough. But I saw how she was changed nine years ago. I saw how she looked at you. I don't know what's changed between you two now but…"

The madjai swallows hard. His eyes slip towards the back of the deck.

"I think you should be the one to talk to her."

He turns back when Evie is the one to speak instead of her husband.

"I think she would respond better to you than if Rick or I tried to reassure her. I'm too close to the situation as well as Rick being her brother, but you can speak from a different angle."

Ardeth thinks over her words. Could he possibly pull Kat out of this silence? Evie had told them what she saw in the vision and he knows it will be a tough truth to take. But she'll have to if she wants to have a chance at beating this curse. Last time she rid herself of the curse with her brother's help but this time he fears she will be faced against an opponent that she will have to take on alone. If it came to that, Ardeth fears that she won't win if she's at odds with the self that she refuses to acknowledge.

Evie has started to say something but he doesn't remain to hear her out. His feet are already carrying him away across the deck, passing Jonathan who looks up at him, and then up to the back deck of the ship.

His heart wouldn't let him let her do this alone. She has to know that she has an entire family behind her to aid her…even though she doesn't see it now, blinded by the pain in front of her eyes.

He wouldn't let her fall. He wouldn't let her go alone this time.

* * *

Horus had found his way to her somehow instead of back to Ardeth like he was supposed to. He chirps at her excitedly, pecking gently at her hand folded across the railing until she finally gives in to the need to move.

Her body is still shaking from the cold spell that has finally left her. Though worse, she had hardly felt it because she was already frozen to begin with. She hardly remembers getting back on the dirigible with everyone else. She had known the need to find some corner to crawl into.

Now the stretching silence spooks her even more now than when she first sat down here. Horus had filled it with his flapping when he landed and Kat's eyes turned to look at him slowly as he stared down at her.

At first she wanted nothing more than to ignore him but now he demands her attention. He pokes and pokes at her hand until she finally lifts it to stroke his chest gently. The soft feathers feel like nothing against her cold skin.

The bird chirps happily in response despite her own mood.

"You spoil him too much. Horus will truly foster a fondness towards you as your brother says if you continue."

Kat doesn't respond to his voice as she normally would. She doesn't turn towards him, she doesn't flinch. Instead, she narrows her eyes at the bird.

 _I guess he did return to him instead of coming to see me as I first thought. I wonder how long he's been standing there_ , she thinks.

Behind her, she can hear his boots take a step towards her, "Evelyn…spoke of what transpired in the vision and-."

"I don't want to talk about it," Kat cuts him off flatly, lifting her head off her arms and turning her eyes away.

Ardeth's advance towards her pauses and silence pursues. When he finally speaks, his voice is still calm and smooth, deep and sure, "Continue to deny who you all you wish but it will not change the truth."

"There is no truth about it. I don't want to talk about it," Kat repeats. Her voice shifts ever so slightly as her frustration starts to stir.

"Back in ancient times, it was not unheard of for siblings to-."

"Enough! I don't care!" Kat rips to her feet the second she realizes what he's about to say and her anger breaks loose. She digs her fingernails into her palms in an attempt to use the pain to regain control but it doesn't help this time.

Ardeth takes a step towards her, keeping his voice level despite her rage, "If you did not care so much, you would not be responding this way."

Kat all but explodes, "You don't understand! You didn't have to witness that! You didn't have to experience-!"

"Katherine…"

His voice saying her name…that's all it takes. She snaps back to her sense and blinks back into realization. Cursing under her breath, Kat leans back against the railing in exhaustion. She had sworn not to let this anger take over her again. Lifting her hands, she forces open her stiff finger and studies the blood pooling there.

 _Guess I'll have to find something else that will help 'cause this is obviously losing its effectiveness_ , she thinks to herself in defeat. Horus chirps, impatiently earning him a soft rebuke from Ardeth in his native tongue as he moves to brush the bird across his feathers.

Ardeth suddenly goes very still and then in a flash rips the edge of his robes off into a long strip. Kat blinks as his swiftness and tries to pull away quickly from his touch but his strength is both gentle and stern as he holds fast to her wrist. Her eyes swing to his as he takes hold of her wrist and their gazes lock for the first time in what feels like days. His expression surprises her.

He's no longer guarded. The look in his eyes clearly says that he's just trying to help, that he means her no harm. Before her heart can turn to mush, she drops her eyes and he goes back to his work. Deftly, he wraps the black strips of cloth around her palms and then secures them tight at the backs of her hands. While he works tenderly on her hands, Kat can't help but notice things that occur…

Like the way her cold skin warms against his touch, how his fingertips brush against her almost purposefully, the way his breathing has become rather quiet… She lets her eyes linger over the way his fingers move, the twist of his wrists as he works, the three-pronged tattoos on the backs of his hands.

 _He's a madjai… It's his job to help people…_ Her heart twinges painfully at the thoughts that invade her moment.

"I'm sorry," she spills out before she can lose her courage. His hands pause. "For getting angry at you just now…and…for what I said to you the other night. I-."

"My forgiveness has already been given."

His words drag her back through her memories to her own past, back when he had said those very same words to her at the museum in Cairo the last time this curse was alive and kicking inside of her. Her heart hammers so loudly in her ears that she fears he'll be able to hear it.

Squeezing her eyes shut tightly, Kat turns her head away and swallows heavily against the onslaught of emotions beating at her. She quickly makes her voice flat and as emotionless as she can, "It won't happen again. I'm sorry you got mixed up in our family mess but thank you for helping us all the same."

Ardeth remains silent for another long, agonizing moment until his hands begin to move again and take up her other hand to wrap it up. He rips another length of fabric from the hem of his robes so he can clean up the blood off of her palms.

"Your family is my own. I would help them in any way that I can. And I hope that I can continue to help them in the future," he says matter-of-factly without looking up at her. "That aid extends to you as well should you ever need it."

Kat's eyes shoot up and they connect with his again. Words build up at the back of her throat but she quickly bits her lip and looks back down at their hands.

"What?" he inquires as his hands still again.

"Nothing. Forget it."

"You never cared about speaking your mind to me before. What is preventing you now?" he pushes.

"I said it was nothing," she shoots back defensively, "That is speaking my mind. Why can't you accept that?"

"You spoke more freely to me before the library. Was what transpired between us so terrible to you?" Ardeth looks up from his hands completely and his dark eyes bore into her. She can feel his piercing gaze melting through her, looking into her very soul.

"Drop it," Kat snaps. Feeling the anger clawing its way to life again, she squeezes her fists closed on reflex and the fabric there tightens across her flesh, stinging her wounds. Ardeth quickly moves to grabs her fingers and opening them before she can do any more damage to herself.

They sit in silence as Kat focuses on her breathing and regains control over the boiling rage coiling within her.

"I am sorry for baiting you," Ardeth finally whispers so low that Kat fears she's going to lean forward in an attempt to hear him better. "I do admit that we should not being arguing like this, not when your nephew is being held captive."

Kat thinks over his words. That's exactly what they should be doing: focusing on the problem at hand and not each other. That way there's no distractions for her. She nods her head, "Yeah, you're right. We need to focus on getting Alex back and we can't do that when we're arguing all the time."

"Allies then," Ardeth finishes tying the fabric on her left hand before holding out his own to her.

Kat stares at it, glancing up at him carefully, but then takes his hand into hers and marvels at the feel of it as his palm all but swallows hers, "Deal."

* * *

Author's Note:

Just FYI:

 _Italicized words:_ personal thoughts or sounds or words said in Egyptian language.

 ** _Italicized/Bolded words_** : power infused words of otherworldly beings said in Egyptian language (AKA: Imhotep or Bastet)


	11. Chapter 11

_Chapter 11 is a go!_

 _Thanks a bunch for your patience!_

 _-Ravyne_

 _(Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the 'MUMMY' movies or any of their characters. Just my characters Katherine and Bastet belong to me.)_

* * *

 **Life Forsakes Her**

 **Chapter 11:**

"Watch your footing," Kat remarks as she side steps another one of his attacks. He moves his foot to the side as she goes to jab her heel into his toes. His sword blade comes down slow and Kat moves casually to her right as it moves down her front just inches from her body.

They've been at this for an hour, performing a mock battle, taking each step slow and steady as if rehearsing for a scene. Every so often they would pick up their speed just a bit as they got more comfortable with the movements of the sparring session but they decided to still keep it slow for the sake of practice.

Eventually even Rick and Evie got mixed up in the practice as well. Sometimes they even got Jonathan to join whenever he asked a question. Izzy kept mostly to himself, saying someone had to fly the ship, but Kat knows that he was never one for violence.

"I still think you should learn how to use a gun," Rick comments as Kat spins around and dodges another one of Ardeth's mock attacks.

"No thank you," Kat ducks low as Ardeth swings his sword wide over her head. "Watch it," she goes for his left shoulder again, the one he favors to shield, and Ardeth answers by quickly taking a step back as her fist moves past it.

Ardeth holds up his hand and they pause for the first time in twenty minutes; it's not like they were really getting a work out, they weren't moving fast enough to even build up a sweat. Nevertheless, it's tiring all the same.

Kat can feel the drain throughout her body. Days without sleep, food, or water…it's taking a toll on her. She continues to try to keep it hidden however; no use in worrying anyone about it. There's nothing that can be done.

"Time for another lesson," Ardeth points towards the short sword lying out across the top of her bag, the one the commanders of the madjai had gifted to her, and she sighs. He had insisted that she learn the basics of the style of sword in case the need to use it announced itself but Kat isn't taking to it as fast as she thought she would.

The short sword is heavier than her knives, throwing off her balance entirely too easily, and it feels too odd in her hands; she's used the Japanese version of the sword many times and suffered the same effects. Throwing a blade just comes more natural to her whereas holding on to one is another thing entirely.

She takes a hold of the short blade, fidgeting her fingers around the wound handle as she tries to find some matter of comfortable grip, and raises it as Rick takes a stance opposite of her with his big hunting blade exposed from its sheath at his hip.

Kat blinks nervously.

"Remember, to use the blade as an extension of your own arm," Ardeth instructs from the side lines as they face each other.

"Easy for you to say," Kat grumbles, "You were practically born with a sword in your hand."

Rick takes a quick swing, making her jump with a gasp as she ducks to avoid the jab. Her legs collapse out from under her and she goes down on her side.

"What the heck was that?!"

"Checkin' you reflexes," her brother chuckles as he flips the larger knife in the air. Grinding her teeth, Kat jerks her feet forward, locking them tight around his knee, and then lurch it forward with a sharp tug. He topples down to the ground with a sharp crack of his elbow. "Seriously?!"

"Just checkin' your reflexes," she mocks sarcastically.

"Alright, you two," Evie lectures, "Let's take this seriously."

The two siblings leap to their feet, refusing to let their glares subside as they return to their stances and ready to attack. Kat raises the short sword up again and readies for her brother's next move. He throws a wide side swing at her and she jumps back just in time to miss the knife's tip as it skims past her stomach. She can almost feel the friction between it and the fabric of her shirt.

Nearby, Evie hisses and covers her eyes.

Rick counter-attacks with a back slash aimed at her chest and she reacts randomly, bringing the sword down over her head to deflect it. His strength outweighs hers and pushes her off balance and onto her backside again. She heaves another frustrated sigh as she sits up on her elbow and rubs the back of her head.

"You sure I can't just…not use the sword and we all just agree to let the commanders know that I fought like a true sword-born warrior like you," she grumbles up at Ardeth who has taken a seat on the railing casually with Horus resting on his hand while he pets him.

"Come on, one more time," Rick offers her a hand up and Kat stares up at him as if he's nuts.

"I think I'm good for now. Back to knives we go."

"You just started."

"And I learned my lesson: don't counter a back slash with an overhead swing. Back to knives we go," she takes her brothers hand and he easily pulls her back onto her feet.

"It's odd," Evie notes, rubbing her chin in thought, "Last time we faced Imhotep, the weapon was able to use any armament it came across; you said so yourself…."

"Yeah, well, back then I hadn't been hit with any red haze voodoo nonsense from weird ol' what's-his-face," Kat cracks her neck as she narrows her eyes.

"Imhotep," Evie corrects.

Kat turns her flat, annoyed gaze on the woman slowly, "Let's just stick with calling him He-that-shall-not-be-named like it said on his coffin where he should've remained."

"That won't solve your problem," the woman counters.

"It worked in those _Harry Pothead_ books."

Rick takes a swing and Kat screams, jumping back away from the thrust of the sword. Her feet stumble a bit but she quickly spins around and gets behind her brother so she has more room to dodge.

"Face the sword," Ardeth calls. "Watch you balance."

"Does it not look like I'm trying?" Kat growls, throwing him a frustrated glare.

Ardeth sends Horus to stretch his wings and he removes the thick leather glove he uses to protect his flesh from the falcon's talons. Standing up he moves past Rick and goes to stand behind her. Using his boot, Ardeth tucks it around her ankle and shifts it back to widen her stance.

"You must root yourself and become unmovable to your opponent," he tells her as his hands move to grab the sword in her hand and rearrange her grip on in. "Do not tighten your grip unless to block. When you attack, you must be fluid and ready to change at any moment."

"It's like driving," Rick compares as he flips his hunter knife easily. "Remember when I taught you to drive? Don't hold the steering wheel so tight. It leaves you unable to react as fast if you're faced with a possible collision."

Kat throws him a look and raises the sword in her hand to wave it at him, "You do know this is a sword and not a car…right?"

"Root your stance," Ardeth repeats, tapping her heel again with the toe of his boot. Kat complies and he covers her hand with his so that they both hold the sword; she tries not to react. "Loosen your grasp and only tighten it when mine does over yours."

The words turn around in her head and starts to muddle her thoughts but she forces herself to relax, _This is all for training. We agreed on this. This is only for training._

She and Ardeth had agreed that they were to be allies if nothing else and that they needed to stop arguing so they could focus on doing just that. The deal doesn't sit well in her stomach; she was using the distance to keep from letting her memories of the library and her feelings from becoming even more confusing than they already are.

Now, she's just got one more thing to worry about on her plate.

 _What was I thinking_ , she curses herself.

After their deal, Kat had broken the tension of the moment by pulling her hand away from his and telling him that if he decided to face the colt member—Ardeth had informed her that his name was Lock-Nah—from Rick and Evie's house again then he wouldn't stand a chance against him. That had only succeeded in them butting heads again and deciding that they all needed to have a sparring session.

And thus, here they all are. Of course, Kat's not sure having said sparring session on the small deck of a dirigible was the smartest idea in the world…

Rick takes a swing at her again, another wide side swing, and Ardeth turns her arms in so that the blade tip faces the ground and his grip over hers tightens.

 _A block_ , she reminds herself, tightening her own grip as he had instructed her. Rick's sword hits hers and the contact shudders up her arm. If Ardeth's strength hadn't been alongside her own, Kat's not sure her arm would still be connected to her body.

Rick takes another swing but this time Ardeth turns their blade straight upright and tightens his grip once more. Kat follows lead and tightens her muscles. The swords clash and again the resulting shudder threatens to throw her arm out of joint. Before Rick can move his blade, Ardeth's shoulder presses against hers as he swings their blade in a circle and flips her brother's knife straight out of his hand. It goes into the air for a moment before embedding tip first into the deck.

Rick scoffs while Kat grins her head off.

"Okay, that was fun. Let's do it again!" she chuckles.

"Oh now you want to practice?" her brother rolls his eyes.

"Do not let one win turn you overconfident," Ardeth draws out his own sword and takes a stance before her. Kat's smile falls from her face as soon as she catches on.

"Wait, you want me to fight you now?"

"Has you confidence gone so soon?" the madjai eyes her with his dark gaze.

Kat looks away and down at her feet so she can watch her feet widen as he had taught her—an action she didn't need to do since she practically memorizes everything he does. Raising her short sword before her, Ardeth matches her stand and touches his blade to hers. The swords ring like bells as they meet and he traces the edge of his curved blade down hers.

She half expects sparks to fly…

When he moves, it makes Rick's previous advances look like mere child's play. He's like a bolt of lightning on ten times as much energy so keeping up with him is almost next to impossible. With each swing, Kat is forced to move faster than the last to try and out dodge him; she's given no opening to try and attack him for a change. He strikes left and right without remorse. All she can do to keep up with his phenomenal speed is to keep jumping to the side or shuffle back to keep from taking damage. Ardeth stays with her every step and hardly gives her any room to dodge his attacks, each swing pushing her further into the corner of the front of the deck. At the step leading up there, Kat's heel clips it while trying to get away from his blade and she falls backwards.

Her backside hits the wood deck with a _thud_.

"You became overconfident," Ardeth repeats as he slides his sword into the holster on his belt and extends a hand down towards her. She takes it as she glares at him in an almost pout and allows him to help her to her feet.

"Alright, enough with me. Now it's your turn," she shoots back. At his confused look, Kat motions with her finger for her brother to join them. "I told you, I don't think you would last against Lock-Nah in a fight. He's got you outmatched."

Ardeth goes still as stone.

She holds up her hands and waves them a little, "Calm down. What I'm saying is that I watched you two for a minute back at Rick's house. With a sword, you're both too evenly matched for either of you to get anywhere but he has more brute strength than you do, muscle wise. But you've got size against him too; you're quicker. We need to focus on that strength and teach you how to lean on that."

Kat picks up a long stick Izzy uses on the deck to push deck boards back down when they start to pull up and she flips it in her hand as she presses the rounded end gently into Ardeth's left shoulder. He glances down at it and then back at her. "I noticed while you fight, you're right handed. However, you tend to favor guarding your left shoulder and not use you left hand for extra strength even though it would give you an extra advantage."

"We each have our stronger hand, Kat," Rick reminds her.

"Oh, I know," she nods, "But it's also a dead giveaway to the way you fight. You become predictable in that way. Despite all that, I did notice that you and Lock-Nah know a few basics on hand-to-hand combat but neither of you used it any more than you had to. Another dead giveaway that neither of you are very good in that style of fighting."

"Kat, what are you getting at?" Rick asks, throwing Ardeth a sympathetic look.

"I'm not trying to crush any egos here," Kat rolls her eyes. "I'm trying to give him an extra advantage besides his speed. If we could teach him a few hand-to-hand techniques, I think he could mix that in with his sword style and really break the stand-off if he and Lock-Nah have to face off again."

"So what do you suggest?" Ardeth crosses his arms and seems genuinely interested in her idea.

Kat smiles a bit before throwing a teasing grin at her brother, "There's a reason I'm better at hand-to-hand than my brother here."

"What?!" Rick's expression become appalled as he makes a grab for her but she ducks out of the way, dropping the stick to the deck, and swings around behind Ardeth to get away from her older brother's swipe.

"He took boxes classes where-as I was taught Tae-Kwon-Do. He has brute strength on his side but he doesn't know how to move. I was taught speed and agility so I know how to evade. Now, if you throw a gun in each of our hands, I'm screwed, but you put a knife in his hand, he's going to be at a complete loss. You get what I'm saying? We all have our strengths and weaknesses but sometimes, in your case, you're going to need to mix up your strengths in order to win a fight."

"So we need to broaden his knowledge of hand-to-hand," Rick nods.

"And give him another advantage over Lock-Nah," Kat agrees.

So for the next hour, they teach Ardeth the basics of what Rick knows and throw in a mix of what Kat knows. After he has a few maneuvers memorized, Kat finally stops the sparring to go on to a new lesson.

"Okay, next thing I think you need to know is how to avoid distractions. And that goes for both of you."

"What?" Ardeth and Rick inquire in union, looking up from their mock battle to throw her twin looks of bewilderment.

Kat pauses to speak under her breath to Evie next to her and a moment later, both women grin like imps.

"I got a feeling we're about to get shown up…" Rick's expression pales.

"Spar for me," Kat pushes herself up out of the leaning position she'd taken against the railing some time ago and heads back over towards them.

"You want us to do what now?" Rick questions.

"Just have an easy spar. Nothing crazy so don't go trying to hurt each other, just an average mock battle," Kat grins.

"For what?" Ardeth asks, his tone taking on the same suspicious tone as her brother. He had listened to her request and now tries to read in between the lines of her explanation for any hints as to her true plan. But he finds none. She's either really good at lying or really good at manipulating; Ardeth isn't sure he likes either one.

"So we can see if you can work under pressure," Evie grins at her husband whose face pales even more. She motions for them to carry on with their fight and Kat nods her encouragement to the two men. They shrug uneasily before going back to Rick's previous lesson, having them both remain rooted where they are and just stick to practicing simple jabs and blocks with their arms.

The two of them spend a few minutes getting into the comfortable predictability of the lesson before they speed up their attacks and blocks. Both of them barely notice Evie and Kat moving around them slowly to position themselves behind each of them. Ardeth lets his gaze shift as Rick's wife steps forward out of the corner of his eye.

Evie goes up on tip toe to blow behind Rick's ear and he jumps, earning him a jab to the gut by Ardeth who flinches in surprise and quickly shoots out an apology. His eyes dart to Evie who chuckles under her husband's glare. The madjai glances suspiciously at Kat who has taken a seat on the railing casually, folding her hands around the knee of her crossed legs, and smiles innocently at him. She raises an eyebrow in question.

"What was that for?" Rick demands.

"I'm just blowing you a kiss," Evie shrugs with a blameless flutter of her eyelashes, "Darling."

"Now?"

"Oh, calm down, Rick," Kat rolls her eyes. Ardeth can't help but take note of the way her eyes have started to dance. "She's just showing you love as your wife. You're the one who wanted to marry for love. You could've married that ol' boring spinster belly dancer girl from Marrakesh but no! You wanted something _more_."

Rick glares at her and she throws him a teasing grin. Before he can retort, she ushers them to carry on with their sparring with the promise from Evie that she wouldn't bother Rick anymore. Ardeth takes a deep centering breath and awaits Rick's first move. The jab comes in a wide side swing towards his left shoulder, the one Kat had claimed he kept protected and out of the way—an obvious weak point—and he ducks low as the swing goes over his head.

As he rises back up to his full height, Ardeth brings his arms back up at the ready. A soft pressure stirs at the back of his left leg and Ardeth blink in surprise, wondering how Rick had moved to get a foot around to knock his feet out from under him…but then the pressure changes.

It traces up the back of his leg slowly and he fumbles.

Rick's attack prods at his right shoulder and he stumbles back a step. Rick's eyes blink rapidly, trying to figure out what happened, while Evie is muffling a laugh behind her hand. Ardeth quickly turns to investigate the intrusion. Kat had removed her boot sometime during their spar and had run her toes up the back of his leg apparently.

The thought makes him want to both smile and glare at her all at the same time. He fights back the smile; they had agreed to be allies but that didn't mean they were as they were before. But all the same, he feels a sliver of something make his stomach flip. She is teasing him, toying with their sparring lesson….being his distraction.

 _His_ distraction… He almost embraces the hope it sparks in his chest.

Ardeth raises his eyes to hers and she meets his gaze with an evenly challenged look despite the clear proof that she too is fighting back her own grin.

"Oh, are you having a little trouble there?" Kat calls jokingly with a glance at his feet. "You seemed to be having a little difficulty with your footing a little while ago."

Evie snorts into Rick's shoulder.

Ardeth scoffs with a smile before pulling his sword out from the wrap around his waist and dropping it into the chair behind him. After, he takes a stance and beckons her forward in challenge.

Rick chuckles, "Oh this ought to be good."

Kat chews on her lip in thought for a second before she hops down and takes a stance, meeting his challenge, "Alright. Let's see what you got, madjai-boy."

A smile pulls at the corner of his mouth as he waits for her to get her balance and then makes a quick jab at her. Kat quickly steps to the side of it, deflecting it with her hand then spring the same hand backward to whack at the top of his left shoulder. He blinks.

Kat's grin finally breaks out into a full on smile and his heart warms in his chest.

"Don't go turning overconfident on me now," she laughs.

* * *

Author's Note:

Just FYI:

 _Italicized words:_ personal thoughts or sounds or words said in Egyptian language.

 ** _Italicized/Bolded words_** : power infused words of otherworldly beings said in Egyptian language (AKA: Imhotep or Bastet)


	12. Chapter 12

_Chapter 12 is a go!_

 _Thanks a bunch for your patience!_

 _-Ravyne_

 _(Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the 'MUMMY' movies or any of their characters. Just my characters Katherine and Bastet belong to me.)_

* * *

 **Life Forsakes Her**

 **Chapter 12:**

The night is late, the moon full, and the wind is as gentle as it is cool. Kat takes a deep breath, feeling the stiffness in her arms and legs worsen with each inhale. She can feel the heaviness under her eyes from lack of sleep and her throat has become so raw that she's started to cough and hack—sometimes so hard that blood would dot the insides of her hands. She's hidden it from her family because a dark feeling in her gut tells her that the blood isn't coming from just her throat but deeper inside her as well.

Her theory is proven true nearly three hours after everyone had fallen to sleep.

Kat had been cleaning her knives silently as to not wake anyone out of their slumber when a dot of blood landed on her clean blade. She dropped everything instantly and started to search her hands for the wound, completely surprised that she'd cut herself after all the years she's done this habit without so much as a soft scratch to her flesh. After finding no sign of an injury, another drop appeared on her hand and she felt the pressure in her head build out of nowhere.

Her hand flew to her face and sure enough, she found the trickle of blood dripping from her nose and down to her top lip.

She's never had a nose bleed in her life.

It didn't last long, about as long as her usual cold spell, so she soon had the evidence cleaned up in case any wondering eyes decided to open from their dreams and find out the truth.

Now, Kat leans against the bowsprit again and allows her eyes to stare off into the distance as her thoughts trail off to what might be. If she doesn't survive this curse, if she does die this time around, she'd have to leave plans for her family. Her gaze drops to the piece of paper in her hands; she's never had to write a will before.

Where does she begin, the truth or dividing up her belongings first?

The truth would take longer to write, so she had started there.

For a long time she's stood here trying to figure out how to begin her long list of explanations and all she can seem to come up with are visions of the faces of her family flashing across her mind…and Ardeth.

She'd have nothing to leave him except memories. Bad ones… Though, she can also recall the good ones as well, like the first time he said her name, the first time she held his hand and truly felt his skin against hers without the grogginess of the exhaustion, the first time he really smiled at her.

Would he remember those memories as good as well? Or would they haunt him? She hasn't exactly been pleasant towards him lately…

Kat sighs heavily and drops her eyes back down to the paper in her hands at the last line she had written ten minutes ago:

 _Ardeth, I leave you my heart._

Another painful sigh escapes her lips as she wipes at the corner of her eye. The shimmering of it in the moonlight paints her fingertip… Did it look pink?

 _ **You won't last much longer.**_

The suddenness of her voice in Kat's mind makes her jump and spin around and look for the woman from another time. No one is there. It's just Kat alone at the front of the dirigible while the rest of her family sleeps on peacefully.

Somehow she understood the ancient Egyptian words hissed at her and they send a cold shiver into her blood stream. Kat's eyes dart around, waiting anxiously for the holder of the voice to step out from behind somewhere and attack her with the venomous anger she's come to fear.

 _ **Wish to see me, do you? Close your eyes then**_.

Kat's breathing hitches in her throat as she comes to realization of the situation happening to her; the voice is coming from inside of her. Why? How?!

 _ **Close your eyes**_ , the voice sharpens.

She takes a steadying breath and hesitantly lowers her eyes lids. The second she does, everything goes dark and only the shape of a woman of her height stands before her. Kat gasps and tears her eyes open.

The darkness and the woman vanish from her sight.

 _ **Where was the courage you bore earlier?**_ , the woman challenges.

Kat can feel that foreign anger inside her stir. Is it hers or the woman's? Gritting her teeth, she shuts her eyes again and the scene returns. Darkness taints the world around them as the Egyptian woman glowers at her from a few feet away. It's like looking in a mirror…if the mirror happens to show your past life. Kat swallows uneasily at the ancient rage glowing in the woman's green gaze, like a vengeful fire. She's dressed in a long white, strapless dress that is held up by a wide gold necklace adorned with symbols of a priest. She wears no jewels save for a gold ring on her right hand with a dark gem, possibly malachite, forming a shape that looks eerily like a scarab on the band. Her long dark brown, almost black, hair falls in straight locks to her waist with only a simple yet exotic circlet of gold around her head that leaves a large, bright green stone resting on the center of her forehead just above her eyebrows and below the line of her bangs. Bands of gold drape around her upper arms, wrists, and ankles delicately; something completely unfit for her vicious character.

Kat tries to take a step back away from the rage pulsing off the woman but she glares deeper at her and Kat slinks to a stop.

This is Bastet.

" _What do you want?_ " Kat almost jumps in surprise as her voice drifts around her in colors of pale golds and greens.

" _ **You…out of the way**_ ," Bastet growls.

" _Excuse me but this is **my** body. Not yours-._"

" _ **It is the body of the weapon!**_ " the Egyptian woman's snarl cuts her off and her glowing green eyes blaze. " _ **You are not my reincarnation, but that of the weapon created to destroy. You are in MY way!**_ "

Kat can't help but step away from her this time, " _But you were the one cursed so that makes it… I'm confused._ "

" _ **We may look the same but I was destroyed and brought to the realm of darkness where my body was recreated to hold their curse. My anger was all that remained and it is the only thing keeping me here so that I can get my revenge.**_ "

" _So… I'm…_ "

" _ **A vessel only,**_ " Bastet snarls cruelly. " _ **You only got my face because that is the only thing they left untouched. They at least gave me that mercy so that Imhotep would know who it was that was coming to kill him.**_ "

Kat has so many questions that are swirling around in her head but for some reason she can only focus on the hate seething out of the woman with her face. Something about the woman's hard expression tears at her heart.

" _Why do you hate him so much? I mean, I know he chose…uh…that what's-her-face woman instead of you and he killed off the Pharaoh which is really bad but so what? He's obviously not worth your anger so just let it go-._ "

" _ **Let it go?!**_ " she roars. The darkness around them warps around Bastet as her anger flashes brighter. " _ **LET IT GO?! You know nothing!**_ "

The foreign anger inside of her burns again but instead of fighting against it, Kat decides to use it. Her foot plants in front of her as she steps towards her challenge, " _Stop acting the victim! Don't patronize me—you don't know me!_ "

Bastet's anger falters for a second as her blazing gaze narrows in thought, " _ **Perhaps I thought too soon of you, child. Your anger seems to match my own.**_ "

" _This is your anger, not mine!_ "

" _ **My anger may be looming inside of you but it feeds your own. I am but an underlying presence, as with the curse itself.**_ "

Kat calms down a bit, " _Yeah, well I know how to control my emotions so it's still your anger throwing mine off balance._ "

" _ **Then perhaps you should just do as I say and-.**_ "

" _I knew it!,_ " Kat snaps. " _You've been able to hear through my ears this entire time haven't you? You've been taking over me on purpose!_ "

" _ **I want my revenge! You steer me from my course. It was my body first-!**_ "

" _According to you, it's not either of ours now!_ " Kat cuts her off sharply.

" _ **You dare-!**_ "

Kat is about to cut her off with another bout of insults, but she bites her lip and holds up her hands in defeat. There's no getting anywhere with this woman; she's impossible. " _Enough of this back and forth, it's getting us nowhere._ "

" _ **If you would simply comply-!**_ "

" _Would you shut up! You sound like a broken record, you coward!_ "

The both go silent at the realization of her words and the darkness around them stills in anticipation. Bastet is the first to show any kind of movement, standing up to her full proud height and crossing her arms across her slim body. The sheer overlay atop her dress shifts and the red sash tied at her waist swings as she moves.

" _ **Coward?**_ " Bastet's face twists in cruelty and her chin tilts up in authority.

" _Yes, coward. You chose to kill yourself off instead of fight,_ " Kat tells her, crossing her own arms and facing down the ancient anger in front of her. " _Imhotep did something despicable, yes, but you shouldn't have let that break you. You were stronger than that._ "

Bastet's cat-like eyes dilate for a split second as they widen in surprise. Her gaze falls to the ground between them and for a long moment Kat thinks she's just going to remain silent. The woman's body even seems to disappear slightly, becoming translucent like the sheer fabric curtains she once saw in the woman's room through the visions.

" _ **I was not strong,**_ " Bastet's voice is all but silent, sounding so far broken and cracked that it drives a nail right through Kat's heart. " _ **I allowed him to trick me, to betray me, to lead me astray. I was weak, I was a fool.**_ "

" _Bastet,_ " the woman's name sounds weird coming out of her mouth but yet oddly like she's calling to an old friend. Kat reaches out and hesitantly takes the woman's shoulder in her grasp. " _He may have lied but you found your place as a priestess. I may not have seen everything about your past but I could tell you loved what you did. You could help people and guide people. You even found a place in the palace for yourself. I don't think Imhotep led you wrong all those years…I just think he lost his way while he was there. All that power went to his head or something or maybe-._ "

" _ **That woman turned his thoughts away from his duty. She changed him. He would never have done what he did if it was not for that snake!**_ " Bastet's anger returns with a vengeance but Kat doesn't move away this time because she knows it's not aimed at her.

If anything, Kat feels that much sorrier for the woman. Anger has become her core, everything she knows, even the very beat of her heart; she's no different from Imhotep and his need for power.

Kat takes a deep breath to steady herself and tries to recall what she's read from God's good book, " _You know, vengeance won't help you. You won't feel any better._ "

" _ **You do not know!**_ " Bastet hisses.

Kat drops her hand to her side and hangs her head. After a long quiet moment to prepare herself, she slowly reaches up and lifts the hem of her shirt from under her belt so that her stomach is laid bare to Bastet's eyes. A nasty scar, like jagged ice, stretches from her right hip up towards the left side of her waist.

Bastet stills in front of her.

When Kat trusts that she can turn to look at the woman without tears stinging her eyes, she meets the Egyptian's gaze with a weak smile, " _A while back, someone who I thought was a friend betrayed me. I was hurt really bad. My life was…drastically changed by what happened. I wanted to get revenge too; for a long time I just wanted to…_." Kat fists her hand and she can feel the black fabric from Ardeth's robes cushioning her grip as it trembles. " _I decided against it,_ " she finally continues, " _I decided to choose a different road, one of happiness, because my betrayer could never defeat a person who's living a joyful life. And you know what? I got my freedom that day. I was released from the anger, the pain, the hate—I got my life back._ "

Kat watches as Bastet's head lowers again and her dark hair casts a shadow over her eyes.

She reaches forward again and takes the woman's shoulder softly, shaking her gently, " _Imhotep isn't worth destroying your life. You shouldn't have let him have so much control over you. You had so much to offer your world back then but you chose to fall instead of fight. You chose death over life which is never a good thing. You could've fought instead of going insane like the other priests who Imhotep corrupted to follow him. You could've helped to bring him to justice so that he paid for his crimes. I'm not fighting you, Bastet. I'm on your side here._ "

Bastet's head lifts ever so slightly, eyes still shaded but Kat can tell the woman is staring at her stomach. Even though she had released her shirt to let it fall back around her waist, Bastet reaches forward and lays her palm out against her torso above the hidden scar.

She turns her head up and meets Kat's gaze then slowly, " _ **We have a lot to learn about each other, child.**_ "

A grin pulls at the corner of Kat's mouth, " _Yeah, I guess we do._ "

* * *

A young child twirls around with other dancers like her as the huge bonfire in the center of the street rages on. The crowd of poorer Egyptians laughs merrily as the festival ignites the streets with joyful energies as bright as the lights from the pyre and the surrounding torches. Dark hair highlighted by the blazing flames in warm oranges, the girl laughs gleefully, her green eyes shining, as a young boy around her age ducks under her arm and wraps a hand around her waist to join her in her dance.

" _So you liked to dance,_ " Kat nods in wonder as she watches the young girl twirl gracefully around the bonfire. She and Bastet stand among the crowd, invisible to the celebrators as they watch the old memory play out around them.

" _ **I did, yes, as a young girl,**_ " Bastet replies softly.

" _Why did you quit?_ "

" _ **I became a priestess,**_ " the woman throws her a look.

" _That's no excuse,_ " Kat rolls her eyes as she turns to Bastet, " _I know plenty of people who have dual jobs and still have time to read a good book in between._ "

The Egyptian woman turns to face her fully and lowers her eyelids in annoyance.

Kat nods and turns away with her from the scene at the fire, " _Right, ancient Egypt. Y'all didn't do that back then._ "

" _ **No, we did not.**_ "

The memory fades away around them and forms a new one. The town shifts into stern golden walls and marble floors as two figures appear at the end of the hall. Two women sit at the edge of the elegant pool and laugh quietly under their breaths to each other. Kat blinks as she recognizes the Pharaoh's daughter.

" _That's Nefertiri, right?_ " she asks, pointing at the two young women before them.

" _ **She would be your Evie now but yes.**_ " Bastet moves towards the two women and Kat follows after her. " _ **Looking through your eyes, it was nice to see her again. Her reincarnation is much like the princess from my life.**_ "

" _You two were good friends weren't you?_ " Kat glances at Bastet and can swear she sees a hint of sadness tainting the woman's eyes.

" _ **We were confidants, yes.**_ "

Nefertiri leans down to the water and throws up a spray of water at the slightly younger version of Bastet by the pool and they both squeal. Kat smiles a bit, " _Looks more like sisters to me._ "

" _ **I do miss her.**_ "

" _Well, in a way, you've been reunited with her. I'm sure Evie would love to meet you. Maybe she'd recognize you since she's started seeing some of her past memories too._ "

" _ **Maybe…**_ " Bastet blinks as they continue walking and the hallway around them melts away right before they can make it to the two women by the pool. The new scene that blurs into existence is a room somewhere else in the palace. This one Kat recognizes after a second. She'd seen it before.

This is Bastet's room. The one from which she had seen Imhotep kill the Pharaoh. Kat's gaze darts to the sheer curtains that lead out to the balcony uneasily. Instead, though, Bastet moves across the room to a large mirror of gold along the side wall. She stops there, staring into it, and yet sees no reflection. Kat has to remind herself that this is a memory and not an actual event happening. They aren't really here…

Yet everything looks so real.

Bastet had tried to explain to her how she could do this, something about the bind in their blood that… Well, Kat just accepts that it hurts her head too much to try and contemplate it. The door opens behind them and they turn towards the sound.

A version of Bastet, younger than the last vision yet older than the girl dancing around the fire, enters and gawks at the room before her. Behind her, a younger Imhotep takes her shoulders in his grasp and rubs them with a smile on his face as he too gazes around the room proudly.

This Imhotep is different from the one Kat has met in real life.

The memory Bastet laughs excitedly, covering her mouth with her hands, and then spins around to embrace the man behind her. He hugs her back eagerly as she squeals with joy.

Kat glances at Bastet beside her and the woman turns away from the siblings at the door.

" _ **I had never wanted anything more than to be at his side to see him grow,**_ " Bastet whispers. " _ **I had never wished for anything more…but I still hoped…**_ "

" _Be the bigger person, Bastet. Don't let this anger control you,_ " Kat reminds her softly.

Bastet turns her gaze on her and the anger is swirling but not viciously. More like a simmering pot. " _ **Tough words coming from one who will not even face her own fears,**_ " she retorts.

Kat's eyebrows furrow in confusion, " _What do you mean?_ "

The woman's eyes narrow and the memory blurs around them into a blend of colors that darken to new ones. Dark stone walls take form with flame lit torches hanging from them, followed by stone floors and ceilings, long, dark wooden tables, and tall shelves filled with countless books.

Kat looks around and wonders where the heck they are now, " _What memory is this?_ "

" _ **One of yours,**_ " Bastet replies darkly.

* * *

Author's Note:

Just FYI:

 _Italicized words:_ personal thoughts or sounds or words said in Egyptian language.

 ** _Italicized/Bolded words_** : power infused words of otherworldly beings said in Egyptian language (AKA: Imhotep or Bastet)


	13. Chapter 13

_Chapter 13 is a go!_

 _Thanks a bunch for your patience!_

 _-Ravyne_

 _(Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the 'MUMMY' movies or any of their characters. Just my characters Katherine and Bastet belong to me.)_

* * *

 **Life Forsakes Her**

 **Chapter 13:**

It takes a moment for it to register, but then Kat's blood turns to ice in her body and she spins on Bastet, " _No, take it away! Get out of my head!_ "

" _ **If you will not face your own fears how can you lecture me about mine?**_ " Bastet shoots back calmly.

" _This isn't any of your business!_ "

" _ **Nor is mine any of yours.**_ "

Kat turns around, finds her physical body again as Bastet had told her, and then forces her eyes open. She's back on the dirigible and staring out at the dark deck where her family still sleeps quietly.

She's breathing too heavily, she needs to calm down before she wakes someone up. Kat pulls her knees up to her chest and wraps her arms around them, resting her forehead down as she tries to get her breathing under control. She refuses to close her eyes; she can feel her brain fighting to push away the memories from the library frantically but she knows that if she closes her eyes they will come flying back with no remorse.

She can't handle them, not now.

 _ **You will never be able to fight your fears. Thus you will remain broken.**_ Bastet's voice echoes in her head and she quickly shakes it to try and rid herself on the woman's haunting words.

 _I don't have the strength to_ , she argues.

 _ **You are stronger than simple memories. Do they control you?**_

 _NO!_ , Kat screams internally. She squeezes her eyes shut but instead of an onslaught, she finds only Bastet there waiting for her. Kat sighs in relief.

" _I can't handle them right now,_ " she tells the woman. " _I have to stay focused on the problem at hand. And besides… He doesn't want a broken woman like me._ "

Bastet tilts her head, " _ **How do you know?**_ "

" _I just do._ "

" _ **Then you have a lot to learn, child,**_ " the Egyptian woman holds out her hand to Kat. " _ **Perhaps we both do.**_ "

Kat grins, " _Then it looks like we'll have to learn together._ " She takes Bastet's hand in hers and their palms burst into an explosion of bright green neon light. They stare down at it in awe as a flicker of red haze starts spilling out of it. Kat start to worry that it's going to attack them both but then the red haze does something neither of them expect.

It starts twitching in spasms as if their contact is hurting it.

Bastet and Kat look up at each other, their eyes connecting for a long moment, ancient emeralds to new age tsavorite. Something clicks in each of them that they both sense in the other and a smile widens on each of their faces.

" _Bastet, we may not see eye to eye but…I truly think that we are connected by blood. I know now that you are a part of me, though I don't care to admit it, that I need to accept,_ " Kat tells the woman with her face that is so far beyond different and yet so much like her that it scares her.

Bastet mirrors her smile, something Kat has never thought the woman capable of, and replies, " _ **I agree. We may not be the same, but we are a part of a whole that needs to be completed. I accept you.**_ "

" _I accept you._ "

The bright green light explodes and engulfs them both in a heat that consumes their hands.

Kat rips open her eyes and jumps to her feet. Lifting her right hand that burns like fire, her eyes widen at the steam rolling off her palm and the green light gracing her flesh as if it comes from within her. She watches it for what feels like half an hour before the light dims and vanishes to her fingertips where it pulses as if it's waiting.

"Uh…"

Inside her, completely new, Kat can feel Bastet's presence shift as if gazing at the phenomenon with her. Her voice echoes through her mind, _**I think…concentrate. Call forth the weapon.**_

"Are you nuts?" she hisses under her breath. "How the heck would I do that anyway?"

 _ **Focus on the feelings you get when the weapon used to take control.**_

"You mean your anger?"

Bastet's voice scoffs softly, _**My anger is used to fuel it. Think of its power and its strength that it gives to you.**_

So Kat thinks about the weapon, about the time Evie had fallen over the side of the boat and how the weapon's supernatural strength had lifted the full grown woman easily so that Rick and the others could get to her…

Her hand grows warmer and her fingers claw up before stretching out fully and claws extend like razors at her call. Kat slaps her other hand over her mouth before her scream can escape and alert her family, her wide eyes glued to her glowing hand.

 _ **It would seem that Imhotep's hold over us…has been broken.**_

"It would seem so," she replies.

* * *

The canyon had pretty much swallowed them about an hour ago. She's already sick of it. Kat glowers at the same canyon wall that's been drifting by and by and by…never coming to an end. If this keeps up, she's sure to die of boredom before the curse can have a whack at her.

"That's the Blue Nile down there," Kat can hear her brother announce. She glances down at the river running far below them at the bottom of the canon. "We must be out of Egypt by now."

 _Yippee_ , she rolls her eyes before going back to glaring at the wall.

"In ancient times, all this still belonged to the Upper Kingdom… The oasis must be around here somewhere," Evie adds.

There are footsteps that sound near her but Kat doesn't bother looking up. Being confined on this tiny dirigible for so long, she's sure she can tell who each of them are by the way they walk now. It's exhausting.

Ardeth steps up to her side and she can hear Horus chirp at the sight of her. Kat stands up to her full height and rubs the bird along the top of his head with a smile. When she looks up, she finds Ardeth gazing intently at her hand, following its every motion with far too much intensity. She quickly pulls back before he can look into her eyes and figure out her secrets, returning to her position leaning against the railing.

"Don't worry, Evie," Rick replies, "We'll find him. He's a smart kid, he'll leave us a sign."

Kat sighs heavily, overhearing her brother's words. It's almost been seven days. Is he okay? Have they reached the oasis before them? Have they killed him yet?

Is he still bound in chains…?

A comforting hand appears on her shoulder and she looks up. His olive toned skin is stark against the white strap of her undershirt, making it blaringly obvious that her hooded pull over had at some point fallen off her shoulder in the wind. His palm suddenly becomes too hot against her bare shoulder.

Kat quickly stands up, effectively pulling away from his touch, and pulls her over shirt back up around her neck. She throws him a weak smile before heading towards the front of the deck to join her brother.

Leaning against the bowsprit, she breathes a sigh of relief at the much needed distance Kat grasped for and stares forward towards the unending maze of canyons before them.

 _I won't survive much more of this confinement. I need to stretch my legs!_ , she thinks.

 _ **Soon**_.

Kat straightens her back at Bastet's voice and her eyes strain forward for a sign that the end of the canyons was approaching.

 _ **Not that soon,**_ the Egyptian grumbles in annoyance.

 _No harm in hoping_ , she replies silently. Sighing heavily, she crosses her arms around the bowsprit and drops her chin on her arms.

"Would you stop that already?" Rick huffs.

"Sure," she shoots back without looking up, "As soon as I die from boredom."

Rick rolls his eyes, "You always were restless, even when we were packing with the legionnaire. I swear, if we were really confined to a space, you wouldn't last five minutes, you know that? You're just as bad as a kid stuck in a car for more than an hour-."

Kat blinks while he talks, trying to figure out a good, sarcastic remark that would get him to chew on his own words, but Bastet nudges her inside randomly and whispers a low ' _ **listen…**_ '

The canyons have always been quiet but this new silence is frightening. The air is tense, the wind has stilled, and the very river below sounds as if it's all but stopped. Kat quickly sits up, eyes and ears scanning around her in alarm, and she smacks a hand back into Rick's gut to cut him off.

"Shut up," she warns him.

"Don't tell me to-!" Rick stops his threat midsentence in time to stop Kat from smacking her fist into his gut again.

"Seriously, shush."

Everyone picks up on her tone then and grow quiet. The very air around them has started to vibrate and tremble, sending the same beat through the walls of the canyons around them. Beside her, Kat can sense Rick reaching for his gun as he inches up closer to the railing beside her. She follows suit and reaches for the knife in the sheath at her thigh.

The deck of the dirigible creaks warily.

From somewhere behind her, Kat can hear Horus chirp anxiously and flap his wings. He can sense something so she knows that something's definitely wrong. But what-?

"WE'RE IN TROUBLE!" Izzy's unexpected scream has them all spinning around, alarmed to the point of screaming themselves, and going wide eyed at the sight behind them. A huge wall of water is coming crashing towards them fueled by some kind of dark force because Kat knows this isn't something that water can do on its own.

As if sensing their presence, the water morphs and bends oddly until a huge face appears in the wave and a deep, familiar laughter echoes off the canyon walls on either side of them.

 _Imhotep_ , Kat thinks and that familiar anger stirs within her.

"Horus, fly!" Ardeth releases his friend into the skies to escape and the falcon zooms off ahead of them. Kat watches him vanish around a bend coming up to their right.

"Rick!" she points towards the opening and her brother catches on.

"Izzy! Cut hard right! Starboard, starboard!" he commands.

The face in the water wall roars behind them, shaking the canyon, and then lurches forward with every intent to literally eat them. Izzy twists some kind of lever beside him at the helm and then shoves on another lever about eye level from him.

The dirigible lets out a loud blast and then tears forward at a speed that knocks all of them off balance. Kat reaches out for the railing before she can hit the deck but her fingers just miss it and she tilts off her legs.

Something snatches up her wrist and she's jerked to a stop. A second later, Ardeth is pulling her to the railing so she can get a firm grip on the wood. She looks up to thank him but the ship lurches to the right out of nowhere and everyone goes into the side of the ship with cries and curses.

The railing slams into Kat's gut, knocking the wind right out of her. Which doesn't help because not a second later water crashes onto the deck and drenches them all.

 _Oh, God, did we just get eaten by the Imhotep wave?!_ , Kat clenches her teeth and starts praying just as the dirigible levels out and slows down. Everyone opens their eyes and looks around. They're still airborne, miraculously, but for how long?

Kat knows Izzy can fly anything but can a dirigible fly after being doused by that much water? Something nudges her foot and she turns around to find Ardeth reaching up to grab the railing. Most everyone had fallen down from the wild ride except for her and Jonathan.

She quickly takes his arm and helps him to his feet, the action bringing them much too close for comfort, and their eyes lock. She knows it's not the right time but she can't help but notice just how tall he is, nearly towering a full head over her. How could she have forgotten that?

Neither of them look away for a long time, just breathing heavily in that private moment, and wondering who would look away first. Ardeth's gaze shifts ever so slight first, dropping momentarily to her mouth, and Kat blinks quickly. He'd done the same back at the-.

 _No!_ , she quickly turns her eyes away and coughs. Her hair is heavy from the drenching waters that have now soaked her to the core and she can feel the hood of her pull over sticking to her like a dense leech. She rolls her shoulders to attempt to unglue it from its resting place but it holds fast. For the sake of looking like a complete idiot, Kat settles with running a hand over her hair and brushing the long pieces of hair that frame her face back across the top of her head and the water helps them to stay in place.

Nearby, Rick is helping Evie to her feet and they share a brief 'what-the-heck' look before staring out behind them where the huge wave of water had once been.

"Is there a little something you forgot to mention? Hmm?" Izzy demands as he collapses against the helm and glares at them. Rick and Kat shrug and both grin sheepishly back at him.

"Uh…people?"

A weird bristle runs up the back of Kat's neck and she turns around towards Jonathan who calls to them all. Their jaws drop in wonder.

The canyon has come to an end, opening up to a huge, lush oasis that reminds Kat more of a rainforest than a desert spring. Large cliffs with cascading waterfalls dot the land, giant green trees fill the hidden world with many shades of thriving green, birds and animals cry out from beneath their canopies, and off in the distance a large structure stands in the middle of it all.

If it didn't practically scream of trouble, Kat wouldn't mind coming here for a vacation sometime.

"Ahm Shere," Ardeth breathes in front of her. She glances at him briefly before looking back at the oasis before them.

"How do you know," she asks sarcastically. "This could all be a mirage."

"Not likely," her brother is lowering a telescope from his eye and hands it to her. She takes it as she steps around Ardeth and holds it up to gaze through the lens. With the structure in the far distance magnified, she is able to make out the huge gold pyramid standing tall and ominous among the trees. A flash of reflected light sparkles at the top. What had Evie said about the legend?

Kat lowers the scope, "Right… Big gold pyramid, huge flashy diamond on top. We're in the right place."

"Huge? How huge?" Jonathan spins on her with a hungry look in his eye.

She glares at his typical short attention span and goes to return Rick's scope to him. It all but drops dead out of her hand. A roaring fills the air and the water wall builds behind them again, Imhotep's face reappearing for round two.

"He's back!" Izzy screams. The Imhotep in the wave roars again and rushes forward, mouth gapping open and ready to swamp them for good this time. "Hang on!"

Izzy hits the switch again and Kat barely has enough time to reach the big wooden pole in the center of the deck…whatever it's called. Her arms are just latching around it when the dirigible blasts forward with another great lurch and everyone is thrown off their feet once more.

A few agonizing moments later, the engines suddenly die and the ship lurches to an abrupt stop. Kat releases her death grip on the pole and glances up in question. Izzy's expression is clearly filled with dread.

"Well that's not good," he murmurs before sliding down to hide behind the helm.

"Hang on!" Rick screams as the wave behind them stampedes towards them and Imhotep's face roars.

" _ **NO!**_ " Kat screams. She can feel the weapon instantly react and take over her body. The power courses through her arms and legs, reenergizing them with power that feels like fire. She plants a foot solidly on the deck in front of the other one, draws her arms back, and then thrusts them forward as if she's hurling her power at the wave.

Maybe it happened because the weapon has been tied down by Imhotep's curse for so long… Or maybe it happened because the curse has taken up far more of her body than she realized… Kat's not sure.

All she knows is that whatever it is, the power vibrating through her changes from a thrumming, burning fire, to an explosion of raw power that tears at the walls of the canyons and sends dozens of broken boulders and jagged rocks hurling towards the wave. They smashed together, almost as if to form a solid wall of earth in the path of the wave, but it just isn't enough.

The wave slams into it, breaking it apart, and then consumes the dirigible as if it's nothing more than a tiny bug needing to be squashed. The energies vanish from Kat's body, leaving her swamped in a wave of exhaustion and she hits the deck as it goes tumbling out of control through the air.

All she can tell through the chaos is that they are falling down, down, down…

* * *

Author's Note:

Just FYI:

 _Italicized words:_ personal thoughts or sounds or words said in Egyptian language.

 ** _Italicized/Bolded words_** : power infused words of otherworldly beings said in Egyptian language (AKA: Imhotep or Bastet)


	14. Chapter 14

_Chapter 14 is a go!_

 _Thanks a bunch for your patience!_

 _-Ravyne_

 _(Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the 'MUMMY' movies or any of their characters. Just my characters Katherine and Bastet belong to me.)_

* * *

 **Life Forsakes Her**

 **Chapter 14:**

The pain in her head is worse than the one in her lower back or even in her wrist. Well, if one wants to just be blunt, she feels sore all over. What she would've given to be able to have passed out through all of that. She's awake through the whole crash and the first to open her eyes, but the last to move.

She isn't ready to put to words what had happened when the weapon had taken over her. She'd never done anything like that. She hadn't read anything about that in any of the books back at the library. The legend just noted that the weapon had been touched by Seth and fashioned to have all the knowledge of war. It didn't say nothing about…

 _Oh, I can't even think it!_ , Kat groans and sits up. Everyone is silent, throwing uneasy looks her way. It's not helping her nerves at all! She eyes her weapon bag tossed precariously to one side of the deck and she fights against the stiffness of her body to grab for it.

"K-Kat-."

"No," she forces out with a tight groan as she stands to her feet and wraps the strap of her bag over her shoulders.

Her brother tries again, "But-."

"Stop," Kat cuts him off as she steps off the side of the ship. Somehow the old thing had survived the fall; there's no way of telling how exactly. "I'm…I-I'm gonna…go run a…perimeter check. Yeah."

"Katherine," Ardeth's deep voice calls after her.

"No," she says a bit more sternly. "I don't want to talk about it. At all."

Before anyone can try to put it into words, Kat walks briskly into the tree line and lets the forest swallow her. She stares at her feet as she goes, watching each step carefully across the uneven ground before her. Pretty soon, her breathing has started to become heavy from the climb but she's not sure if it's not just from the shock either.

 _That didn't happen right?_ , she thinks.

 _ **I am not sure…**_ Bastet's voice sounds just as confused as her thoughts. _**I do not remember the curse ever specifying this.**_

 _Could Imhotep's spell still be on us?_

 _ **I would sense something if it was. I feel nothing.**_

"Then the curse really is getting stronger," Kat comes to a halt as her breath hitches in her dry throat. "And I'm getting weaker. What happens if…what happens if I die?"

Bastet doesn't respond.

"What happens?" she urges.

 _ **The weapon will still animate your body until its job is complete. When it is done, it will vanish and… I will vanish along with it.**_

 _So we both lose. We can't win this_ , she closes her eyes and focuses on breathing as the horror fills her.

 _ **I fear that… I do not know. I will not put it into words; the future is never set into stone.**_

 _You're the priestess, you could see stuff couldn't you?_ , she asks.

 _ **I could sense things only, never see.**_

"What do you sense then?" Kat's voice cracks.

Again she remains silent.

"Bastet, please," she whispers with a heavy swallow that only makes her throat burn.

… _ **I sense only darkness.**_

Kat's heart practically shatters in her chest and she squeezes her eyes shut against the burning tears. She swipes at them quickly and coughs. Something weird catches her eye and she looks down at her hand. The smeared tears there are even darker pink now.

 _I don't have much time._

A gun shot cracks the air and she spins on her heel with a startled jump. Leaves crunch under her feet as she pauses momentarily, straining to hear something, anything to let her know that her family is unharmed, only to be met with silence. She takes off at a dead run back down the way she had come as fast as she can without falling down the uneven ground beneath her.

A few moments later, she nearly runs smack into Ardeth's mountain of a form as he stops for barely a split second before continuing on around her quietly. A bad feeling twists her gut.

"Who fired the gun?" Kat asks her brother who appears through the trees just after the madjai. The group looks much too sullen.

"We don't know," he answers, shifting his gaze towards Ardeth's retreating form. Kat glances between the two men, narrowing her eyes.

"Well, what were they shooting at?" she tries again.

"Horus," Ardeth answers, flatly.

Kat freezes as she stares at him. His back remains to them, stiff and guarded. Horus had been his friend, though he was a bird, she's sure they had been allies for years. She drops her eyes to the ground and sighs.

The anger stirs inside of her. If it weren't for this curse…if it weren't for Imhotep…

Kat shakes her head softly, _Stop, Bastet. Vengeance is wrong._

 _ **I will kill him, Katherine. His life will end by my hand, whether it be done by me or the weapon. He will die.**_

 _It will answer nothing for you._

 _ **Follow the ridge you were on to higher ground.**_

 _Bastet_ , Kat pushes.

The Egyptian remains silent but her anger continues to burn. Unable to speak to her anymore, Kat glances up at Ardeth's rigid back before throwing a hand towards the path she had been on before the chaos had begun again, "It's uh…Bastet said it's this way."

She starts back up the path but is followed only by an eerie silence. Kat looks back over her shoulder and finds everyone staring at her with confused looks. She shrugs, "What?"

"Bastet…said…?" Evie stutters.

Rolling her eyes, Kat lifts her hands only to drop them at her sides again, "Can we not focus on the insanity going on with me for like five minutes, please?"

With that she spins away and leads them off through the jungle up the incline. It takes them most of the rest of the day to make their way up the mountainous region before them but they keep pushing all the same. Jonathan keeps complaining about the humidity, Kat doesn't blame him but also doesn't add her own complaints into the mix, and Rick keeps arguing with him. She wants to smile, she's always known that the heat makes her brother more irritable, but she just doesn't have the energy to get in the middle of their bickering.

What she wouldn't give for some silence right about now.

As the sun starts setting, they reach a good spot to stop. Bastet whispers for Kat to stop and look to her left and she finds herself looking out over the jungle below for a good half a mile. The valley is thick with trees but a few areas are free of them and are simply packed with deep underbrush.

 _ **The path is there.**_

 _That's the way to the pyramid?_ , she asks.

 _ **Yes. Look there.**_

Kat can feel Bastet nudge her and she looks off into the distance. Sure enough, the pyramid looms beyond menacingly like a bad day waiting to happen. She takes a deep breath and calls out to the group behind her, "Bastet said here would be the best spot."

"Has she been here before?" Jonathan huffs.

 _ **No I haven't.**_

"No, she hasn't," Kat answers for her.

"Then how does she know?" Rick adds flatly. Kat turns towards him and she can feel her eyes burn as they spin bright neon green. Her brother bites back his comment and settles with a nod. They spend the next hour setting up the ambush spot and getting their weapons ready. Jonathan and Evie had already stated their plans to remain on the hillside and offer cover fire while Rick and Ardeth went in to grab Alex when Imhotep and the cult passed by through the valley below.

Kat silently decides to go with her brother and Ardeth; she'd be the best help with them. That and Bastet has stated her desire to go with them as well with obvious intent on forcing Kat to go if she refused. There's no way she would've refused. She'd be useless up here on the hill and there's no way she's going to leave the task of rescuing her nephew with the odds of two men against twenty or thirty others.

It doesn't feel right to her.

As she finishes up on sharpening her second to last set of knives, she can hear her brother speak up out of the blue of the silence that has taken over the group the past hour or two.

"You hear that?"

"What?" Ardeth's head shoots up in alarm, his grip on the gun he's arming tightens readily.

Evie and Kat both turn to them and freeze.

"Nothing," Rick responds. "Absolutely nothing."

Kat calms herself and goes back to finishing up her knives. She's trying everything she can to relax but her whole body feels like it's turning to dried up stone. Coughing, she rolls her shoulders and neck, flinching at every crack that sounds.

Her dry throat twinges and she coughs again.

"You alright?" Rick calls.

"Yeah," she answers without turning from her work, "I would kill for some water though."

The silence and tension thickens.

She coughs again just as Jonathan moves past her to poke around a new area of their temporary camp nosily. She watches as he uses the blazing torch in his hand to move aside a veil of moss that hides away a small cave. Inside are weird shapes that she can't make out so she drops her gaze back to the knife in her hand.

"My word…"

Kat looks up through her eyelashes.

"I say, chaps, look at this!" Jonathan calls. "Shrunken heads; I'd love to know how they do that."

Everyone turns to stare at him as if he's gone crazy.

Jonathan shrugs, "Just curious."

Kat shakes her head as she slips the next to last knife into its sheath and straps it onto her belt. The next knife wouldn't take that long to sharpen seeing as she hasn't used it since they started this trip.

"You any good with that?"

On reflex, Kat's head bolts up at the sound of Ardeth's voice and she spies him approaching Jonathan who is busy checking over his long range rifle as if it's a golden award.

Jonathan tilts up his chin proudly, "Three times fox-and-hounds grand champion, I'll have you know. You any good with that?"

Ardeth glances down at the curved blade tucked away at his belt when Jonathan nods at it in challenge and Kat rolls her eyes. No doubt the two are about to go into a 'my-horse-is-better-than-your-horse' argument.

The madjai meets the man's gaze again, "We'll know soon enough." Like a flash of light, he draws out the sword gracefully and twists it through the air until it is bared to Jonathan's throat threateningly, "Because the only way to kill an Anubis warrior is by taking off its head."

 _Yep, there it is_ , Kat rolls her eyes with a grin.

"I'll remember that," Jonathan swallows tightly and she can see a bead of sweat roll down his temple.

"Relax, Jon," she chuckles lightly to reassure her brother-in-law, "He's messing with you."

"Am I?" The curved bladed rings through the air as it comes to rest lightly against her own neck and Kat glances down at it. She can hear the teasing tone in his voice but it still sends a shiver up her spine.

Fighting a grin, she glances up at Jonathan, "It's good solid advice. Remember that."

"Alright," Rick approaches them and starts divvying out delegations, "Jonathan, Evie, and Kat, you'll be staying here and offering cover fire."

Kat has just clicked her last knife into its sheath around her ankle as his statement ends. She quickly tosses her equipment into her weapon's bag and pulls it over her shoulder as she heads towards the path that will lead her into the valley.

"Hey!"

"You always do this, Rick. It's not going to happen, it's never happened, so just give it up already," she shoots back. She pushes back Bastet's anger, warning her to keep out of her business when it comes to arguments between her and her brother, and pushes aside branches and brush as she storms down the trail.

She only slows when she hears footsteps running to catch up with her and she sighs heavily as she turns to face him, "Don't start."

"Don't cut me off," he spits back. "You're always running off into trouble and-."

"Well, I only ran off into trouble to follow after you and save your sorry behind so at least we know who I got it from!" Kat growls. Ardeth slows to a stop behind Rick and glances uneasily between the two siblings. "You have got to stop being so over protective of me. I'm not a little girl anymore, Rick. I thank you for stepping up and raising me after mom died but you've got to cut the apron strings already!"

"The only reason I'm being over protective is because you keep running off into danger without thinking," her brother shoots back with a jab of a finger over her shoulder towards the approaching cult members.

"As I said, I learned from you. Growing up, that's all you did was run in blindly like a crazy person from the asylum!"

"I'm not a good role model!"

"That's your explanation?!" she gaps.

Inside her, Bastet growls, _**We are wasting time…**_

 _Shut up_ , Kat warns her sharply. "Rick," she takes a deep centering breath and returns her voice to normal, "I love you, more than life itself, but you have to let me live my life. My nephew is down there, you know I will never use a gun, so just let me help in the only way that I can."

Rick looks like he wants to reply, he's obviously fighting with himself on what to say, and his mouth twists in frustration. Kat wipes all anger from her and stares up at him with a pleading gaze.

She touches his arm, "Rick, please."

Her brother jerks his arm away from her and turns away to head back up the hill, "Wait for me ahead, I've got to speak to Evie before we go."

Kat smiles at his back as he goes, "I love you."

"Yeah."

She watches him go until he vanishes into the thick underbrush before turning to the eyes boring holes into her. Ardeth moves his eyes away quickly. "What?"

"You really should learn to use a gun," he answers.

"Ugh! Not you too!" she huffs. "You're taking his side!"

Ardeth pauses in his walk past her and glances down at her hand momentarily before taking it up into his palm. He gently moves the leather bracelet up her arm until the tattoo of the madjai is revealed above the cursed marks of the weapon.

Kat starts to say something but he stops her, "This mark presents you as a protector of man. Whatever way you decide to walk down that path is entirely up to you."

Kat's eyes narrow, trying to ignore the heat his touch stirs beneath her skin, "So…is that a 'yes, you're taking my brother's side' or…?"

Ardeth's thumb brushes over the tattoo briefly, drawing a near whine of defeat from her when he lets her go, and then continues on around her, "I am simply stating what you have taught me: expand your knowledge of techniques."

"I know how to use a gun, thank you," Kat storms after him but freeze when he suddenly spins to meet her, his face coming dangerously close her hers. Every hair on the back of her neck stands on end.

"Then why do you falter?" he inquires. Kat fumbles her words, biting her lip and looking away angrily. "I mean not to bruise you ego but you know I speak the truth."

Kat nearly smiles her own words turned against her and meets his gaze as steadily as she can, "I don't use guns because I can control knives better."

His eyes follow her as she goes and he waits a moment to follow after her as he tries to decipher her meaning, "No weapon can truly be controlled."

His words send ice into her veins and she stops dead in her tracks. He has no idea how true his words are. Kat's eyes fall to her hands gripping the strap of her weapon bag over her shoulder; they shake slightly. She may be able to call on the curse now but she can still feel the wildness of it eating away at her from the inside out. It wouldn't be long before her life just can't take anymore…

Will she still be here as it took over her? Will she see it finish off its obligation before she faded for good?

Kat sighs, "You're right." Her voice sounds dead to her ears but Ardeth still responds despite it all.

"Do guns frighten you?"

She looks back at him over her shoulder and finds him studying her with unguarded eyes. That dark gaze looms over her with so much intensity that she can feel the heat crawling up the back of her neck again. Swallowing the lump at the back of her desert of a throat, Kat blinks a few times to clear her head.

"When I was younger, I once shot my brother by accident in the leg. Guns don't scare me, Ardeth. I do."

The madjai watches her until she's sure she can no longer stand under his gaze without melting into a puddle of goo so she turns away and starts down the hill. She passes through a few thick trees only to step out into a small opening that allows her to breathe a bit more freely than the crowded jungle has allowed her to do before.

"Katherine."

A shiver runs up her spine from her toes. She rolls her shoulders against it, "Would you not do that?"

"What?" the madjai asks, pausing at the tree line.

Kat stops herself from spilling out the truth and settles for a half one, "Y-you can call me Kat. Everyone does."

Ardeth smiles, "Is your name not Katherine?"

Kat's toes curl in her boots, "Kat is fine. What did you need?"

He doesn't respond except to reach up and remove the gun from over his shoulder while he walks towards her. Kat's eyes narrow in confusion as she watches him stop before her and hold up the gun in both of his hands. Her bag falls off her shoulder in horror, barely staying in the grip of her limp fingers as it hits the ground.

"N-no, no. Uh-uh," she moves away but he quickly lifts the gun and brings it over her head and down in front of her, blocking her way of escape and confining her in the small circle of his arms.

"You may be faced with the need to use this one day," he says quietly in her ear.

"A-Ardeth, no, I can't—I don't want to do this," Kat curls her arms into her chest away from the weapon, her insides tying in knots.

He takes her back elbow sternly and moves it so that he can place the gun in her shoulder, "If you find yourself with no more knives, how will you defend your family?"

She's unable to fight against him, her mind completely blank with fear of the metal weapon in front of her. The very feel of it against her shoulder is turning her whole arm into jello. Ardeth lets go of her elbow so that he can hold the gun and free up his other hand to take her right one and tuck it under the forestock. She turns to stone.

Not even the feel of his chest against her back can do anything to melt her. Fear has taken too far of a hold on her. Her hands start shaking uncontrollably and the gun slips.

"Ardeth, no!" Kat shakes her head and tucks further back into him, "Take it! Take it back now. I can't do this. Please!"

Ardeth slowly moves the gun up out of her hands and over her head so that he can swing the strap back over his shoulder. He glances at her back where she's frozen in place.

Kat wraps her arms around her waist and slows her breathing so that she doesn't shake as bad. It has been forever since she's touched a gun and the feeling still hasn't changed. It's like holding raw power in your hands, much like the curse eating away at her. In the wrong hands, it could be used to do so much harm to so many people.

She's just glad she isn't the wrong set of hands, though that doesn't mean she's ever going to use one again. She had been inexperienced when she was younger and her cockiness had led to her brother's injury.

That would never happen again.

* * *

Author's Note:

Just FYI:

 _Italicized words:_ personal thoughts or sounds or words said in Egyptian language.

 ** _Italicized/Bolded words_** : power infused words of otherworldly beings said in Egyptian language (AKA: Imhotep or Bastet)


	15. Chapter 15

_Chapter 15 is a go!_

 _Thanks a bunch for your patience!_

 _-Ravyne_

 _(Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the 'MUMMY' movies or any of their characters. Just my characters Katherine and Bastet belong to me.)_

* * *

 **Life Forsakes Her**

 **Chapter 15:**

Kat rubs the burning away out of her eyes but it only subsides for a tiny moment before coming back even worse than before, consuming her vision in reds. Shaking her head, she focuses on her brother's back before her, his white shirt is stained with dirt and sweat from their journey but it's nothing compared to the inner injuries he's carrying. She too wants to see Alex returned to his parents' care safely.

As they approach more even ground and the trees begin to open up a bit in the form of a path, they pick up the pace into a decent jog. Her head throbs as her heart rate increases and the red in her vision pulses in time with it. Rick comes to a sudden stop while she's trying to rub at her eyes again and she goes right into his rigid back.

"You good?" her brother's voice lowers worriedly and she can feel Ardeth's hand touch her shoulder gently.

Keeping her head down, she rubs at her eyes and cough, "Stop worrying about me. We need to pick up the pace."

"You're my family too, Kat. I'm going to worry," Rick reaches up and touches her chin. "Let me see."

"No," she pulls her head away. "I said I'm fine."

"Kat, let me see." Rick's hand finds her chin again and lifts her head, forcing her to look up at him. She drops her hand and opens her eyes. They glow neon green, spiraling like a dangerous whirlpool. Both men drop their hands from her and tense.

"Chill, it's me," she promises as she rubs her eyes again against the increasing burn. Any hotter and her eyelids will turn to ash.

"Then why are your eyes glowing?"

"I can't turn it off," Kat glowers up at her brother. "It's not like I ever had control of this curse to begin with."

Rick takes her free hand and pulls her along behind him, "Let's go." They start jogging again, Kat's feet following willingly behind her brother as she finally gives up and just stares out of her burning eyes. Everything has been washed over in blazing reds now, taking away all color from her vision.

Is this the start of the end? Will the curse take away all her senses before she dies, leaving her swallowed by darkness while she cries for mercy?

A few moments later, they jog to a stop in a larger opening in the jungle, stick structures with decaying skeletons skewered on them stand around the area and large wooden cage swing from trees with rotting bones piled high within them. The sandy area looks like an old crime scene that was never solved.

Kat's eyes scan over the area in horror, watching the reds of her vision turn dark as she stares at the cold dead bones of the long lost dead that were unfortunate enough to die in this accursed place. She draws out her knives from her belt as weird monkey-like sounds reverberate around them eerily and Ardeth and Rick tighten their grasps on their own weapons, spinning around to look for the source of the creepy sounds.

Near her, she spies a round object leaning against a nearby tree and Kat slowly approaches it cautiously. Leaning down, she reaches out and rubs a hand across it—centuries of dust smear away and leave a shiny surface behind despite the caked areas of rust that have formed.

She would've loved to give the shield a look over to see where it came from but she's too caught off guard by the reflection staring back. The reds in her eyes give way for a brief moment, allowing color to return to her once more. How long has it been since she's looked into a mirror?

She looks unrecognizable to her own eyes. Her usually light olive-toned skin is now dulled and paled beyond identification, her face has become so thin because she's lost so much weight. Even the cursed hieroglyphs circling her throat and down under her shirt are beginning to look as if they too are vanishing. It's only the glowing green eyes that appear to be vibrant and healthy. The curse is still alive and kicking…while Kat is slowly deteriorating away into nothingness.

 _At least I can get one thing out of this_ , she thinks as she pulls her dark hair loose from the back of her head and lets it fall down around her face and waist in a long veil. Brushing it forward until the long strands cover her face, Kat grabs a measured handful, places her knife against the back half of it where she recalls the length to be and jerks the blade forward.

With an almost silent _shnk_ , the hair comes loose into her hand limply and she throws it to the side as she stands up. Ardeth and Rick stops on either side of her.

"What's with the hair cut?" her brother asks.

Without turning her eyes from the familiar reflection staring back at her, Kat answers, "If this curse kills me, I at least want one thing out of all this at that's for Imhotep to recognize who's coming to kill him."

Both men look down at the shield, studying her reflection as she does.

"So this is Bastet," Rick replies softly. Kat nods. He wraps an arm around her shoulders with a tight squeeze, "It's nice to finally meet you."

 _ **Thank you, Katherine**_ , Bastet's voice sounds almost close to tears inside her head and Kat smiles.

Gunshots explode into the night and they all spin around at the panicked sounds of screaming.

"We need to hurry," Kat coughs into her hand and pulls away to look down at it as a familiar wetness splatters into her palm. Rick grips her shoulder tightly but she shakes her head sharply. "Let's go."

She takes off back down the path and she can hear the men follow closely behind at her heels. The chaos is in full on horror mode by the time she, her brother, and Ardeth reach the valley where the cult members are battling the unknown.

"Get Alex!" Kat calls back and leaps into the fray, ripping her knives from her belt. Two men fall under her blades as she aims for the first two she sees. Torches are swinging wildly as men scream at something tearing through the underbrush around them. Guns are firing in a panic, forcing her to duck and weave through the cult members around her. Rick and Ardeth vanish from her side nearly a second after they enter into the valley but she can hear their familiar shouts not far away in the chaos.

Around her, random men are pulled on their feet and disappear into the underbrush that thrashes around wildly as high pitched snarls fill the air. Dying cries of fallen warriors fill her ears as she runs and takes down anyone who turns to face her. A blade slices across her shoulder, loosening the sleeve of her pull over, and she quickly retaliates with a well thrown knife to the chest of the cult member who turns on her. He falls heavily to the ground.

Before she can leap over his corpse and carry on, a creepy little form leaps up like a crazy little skeletal monkey onto the dead man's chest. It shrieks at her and holds up a knife, ready to pounce. Kat starts to scream in alarm, but instead her cry is mutated into a feral roar that tears through the night.

The weird little rabid beast drops the knife and instantly cowers away with its hands over its head, backing away whimpering. The dark, hollow eyes weirdly enough plead for mercy.

The feral roar subsides and Kat regains control, blinking confusedly, _Bastet?_

 _ **Yes.**_

 _Thank you?_

 _ **You have to keep moving. They will not harm you.**_

"Gotcha," she carries on through the brush as fast as her legs will carry her. No doubt Rick and Ardeth have already made their way ahead of her. She's got to catch up.

"Dad!"

Kat jolts to a dead stop, heart leaping in her chest, "Alex!"

"Alex!" Rick's voice from somewhere ahead of her joins her own and she races towards it. The undergrowth nips and tugs at her already torn over shirt and she rips the rest of it off in frustration as she tears through the bushes. Around her, more men are pulled off their feet by the creepy little monkeys who whip unseen along the ground in their attacks.

"Dad! Aunt Kat!"

Kat races faster at the sound of dread in her nephew's voice. He's so close she can practically feel his arms around her. A cult member turns on her and she readies to slit his throat, anger pulsing at the thought that he dare try to slow her down, but a gun shot from nowhere knocks him to the ground. She pauses.

Another gunshot sounds so close behind her that she jumps out of her skin and a random cult member that suddenly appears behind her falls limp to the ground. Her eyes look up towards the hillside and sure enough Evie and Jonathan nod down at her from above. She returns their gesture before carrying on.

Swinging around a tree, two cult members fall out of her path thanks to her guardian angels above and she leaps over their bodies fluidly. Ahead of her, just above the tops of the brush, she can see a mop of shiny blonde hair parting the scrubs. Her heart practically leaps out of her chest.

"Alex!" Kat screams.

"Aunt Kat!"

Alex's small form presses up against a tree and Kat follows his gaze. Lock-Nah. Kat grinds her teeth, feeling her eyes burn brighter angrily, and a growl escapes her throat. The giant of a man is storming towards Alex with a look that says he has every intent to kill the boy. He swings his long sword dangerously through the air, cutting the bushes out of his way as he stalks forward.

Kat races forward to cut him off but a movement at her left catches her attention and she smiles. Instead of grabbing for Alex, she swings around the backside of the tree as Rick takes her place and rips his son up off his feet along the way. Kat smiles as he hauls the kids away over his shoulder to safety.

"AGH!"

She skids to a stop and spins around just as Ardeth races in and brings his blade down towards Lock-Nah's head. The cult commander blocks the madjai's blade with his own and their strength's lock.

 _Use your size, Ardeth_ , she mentally screams at him as she moves to circle their position so she can move in to help if need be. Over and over their swords clash, Lock-Nah's strength beating at the madjai and pushing him back with each hack, but Ardeth continues to block each attack.

At one point, Ardeth uses one of the techniques she had shown him and rolls across the ground to avoid a heavy down swing from Lock-Nah's blade, but it opens up a direct line of sight between Kat and the giant cult member.

Their gazes lock and he glares death at her, "You!"

Kat's eyes blaze and she bares her teeth at him in a feral growl. She readies her knives in her hands for whatever attack he prepares to throw at her only for their exchange to be cut off by Ardeth's blade coming down over his head.

"Leave her," the madjai shouts. Lock-Nah spins quickly and deflects the blade, knocking him back. Again their blades clash in an even exchange that drives Kat mad.

"Throw him off!" she screams at Ardeth.

As if reading her thoughts, the madjai deflect Lock-Nah's blade and then quickly retaliates with a strike to his jaw with his left fist. The cult commander stumbles back in shock. With another quick procession of well-placed strikes with his fist, Ardeth throws him back with a kick.

Lock-Nah sways unsteadily. Clearly frustrated, he attacks again with his sword which Ardeth easily blocks a few times before finally cutting the blade downward into the commander's shoulder. Lock-Nah cries out.

Ardeth swings his blade up and through the man's throat. With another alarmed yell, Lock-Nah drops heavily to his knees and his sword slips out of his limp hand to the ground at his side. He stares down in disbelief at the blood painting his own hands.

Kat stops at Ardeth's side and stares down at the man dressed in red and black, eyes spinning neon green wildly. The cult commander shifts his darkening gaze between them before chuckling weakly and falling over to his side, going still for good.

"I don't condone killing people," Kat breathes out heavily with a weak, one sided smile, "But not bad."

He turns to look at her, breathing just as heavily as her, but before he can respond…a gun fires. Kat and Ardeth both scream at its closeness with a start. A cult member stands just behind the madjai's other shoulder with a small hand gun aimed at his back.

Kat stops breathing, heart choking to a halt in her chest as her mind connects everything together. Hands shaking uncontrollably, she covers her mouth and her knees tremble under her. Tears spill out of her eyes against her will and pour down her face.

 _NO, NO, NO!_ , she tries to cry. _GOD, PLEASE NO!_

All at once, the cult member lowers the gun and drops dead to the ground. Ardeth's head turns to look up the hillside and Kat follows his gaze. Jonathan lifts his gun and nods. Ardeth returns his gesture and then to her horror turns to her.

Going cold as his eyes take in her unguarded face, Kat's sure he can see everything she's been hiding from him since the very beginning; all her emotions pouring out for all to see. All the walls are gone now, broken by the shear horror of almost losing him. Tearing her eyes from his, vision blurred from her tears, she spins on her heel and tears off into the trees behind her.

Her trembling legs don't take her very far. She comes out into another opening, a clear path winding through the jungle to the dangers beyond, and Kat stops to a halt. Her hands prop against her knees as she tries to get herself under control. She tries to pull herself back behind her walls, tries to choke back the tears that just don't seem to have an end. Nothing works.

A sob breaks out of her as she lifts the back of her hand to her mouth and bites her lip. She squeezes her eyes shut against her inner turmoil. Never has she cried like this since she was a child when her mother died. Her brother had held her for hours as the loss had torn her up into ribbons and left her cold and dead inside. His humming of their mother's lullaby had been the only thing to put her back in one piece and hold her together until the next morning when the government had come to take them to the orphanage. He had been her strength in this world.

Then Ardeth had come along and changed everything. He had become her comfort, her protection, her safeguard, her faith, her hope, and her life. To come so close to losing him too…

She can't handle this…

Something grabs her elbow and turns her. She knows the touch and instantly tucks her head down, letting her hair turn her face to shadow. Ardeth's fingers take her chin in his grasp.

"Look at me," he whispers.

She shakes her head.

He moves his hand to embrace the side of her throat and presses his fingers gently under her jaw to lift her face to him, his other hand wrapping around the small of her back to hold her against him, "Look at me, Katherine."

Kat presses her lips together, fighting back another wave of tears that surge against her closed eyes. Her throat constricts around the lump forming there at the back of it where her emotions are building up. Her shoulders jerk from another sob she fights to keep in her chest.

Distantly, her ears pick up a sound that doesn't register for a moment, a sound she's heard before. It clicks nearly a moment too late. Her eyes tears open, blazing brighter than ever, and she feels the weapon take over her body. A wild growl rips out of her as she spins around and extends her claws. The razors shatter the poisonous darts flying in their direction in midair like splinters and the shards scatter on the ground. The rabid monkeys shriek only to be met by another roar from the weapon and they back away whimpering like scared puppies back into the underbrush.

She whips around to growl at the ones closing in on Ardeth's back and they too slink away. Turning around full circle to make sure none linger, the weapon releases Kat and she descends back into her body. She can feel the wetness on her face where the tears had broken lose when she opened her eyes so there's no hiding them now; best not to face him and let him see anymore of her brokenness for the time being.

Coughing through the build of emotions still blocking her throat, Kat takes an unsteady breath, "Y-You need to go. You have to find the commanders and let them know where we are. You don't have much time."

Ardeth's answer is slow and unsure, a lot like she feels right about now, "You're right."

Kat knows she needs to catch up with her family. She needs to know that Alex is back safely with everyone. She needs to know that she can wrap him up tightly in her arms one last time before the curse swallows her alive. She has to go.

And yet her feet won't move.

Behind her, Ardeth's boots move away from her, shifting the sand along the path as he leaves, and Kat's heart shatters into a billion pieces as her tears spill down her face again. The last thing she says to him and it had to be that. It had to be those short sentences and those cold words.

 _I'm nothing but a coward._ Pain pierces her heart as that one thought goes through her mind and she can feel her shoulders shaking again. _Bastet was right._

Bastet's presence shifts sympathetically at the back of her mind.

A grip tightens around her elbow again and turns her around hurriedly, making her gasp. She would've tripped if Ardeth didn't take her other elbow into his firm grip as well.

"Live," he breathes harshly, his dark eyes boring into hers urgently.

That one word. That's all it takes to turn all those walls into rubble. That's all it takes to release the flood gates. That's all it takes to shrink the years they had put between them into nothing but mere inches.

Inches they quickly closed.

His passion meets hers as they pull each other closer. His lips fit perfectly against her own, just as they once had at the library, only this is a thousand times different. This kiss is filled with desperation, fear, longing, remorse, desire, forgiveness, and regret. This kiss is uneasy and anxious, filled with the need to tell each other so many things before their time runs out but at the same time answering everything they both feel unsure about.

His strong arms encircle her tightly, one hand wrapping around her waist while the other reaches up to entangle into her hair at the nape of her neck. Kat doesn't care that her tears are turning her face into an ugly mess—she's always been an ugly crier—her hands still wind their way up his chest and around his neck, pulling her as close to him as she can get. His long, dark hair brushes the sides of her face, tickling her as the wind spirals around them softly.

When they both come up for air, Ardeth presses his forehead to hers as they both try to calm their breathing and memorize the feeling of the other in their arms. Their breaths mix in the small distance between them and Kat glances up at him through her new bangs. She releases one arm from around his neck and moves to trace the tattoo on his cheek.

He opens his eyes then, staring deep into her own, and then they shift and widen immediately. Confused by his reaction, Kat freezes. Ardeth reaches up and places his palm on the side of her face as his thumb brushes gently under her eye. She reaches up in wonder and wipes the tears from her face.

They're more blood than tears.

 _ **We are running out of time.**_ Bastet's sudden voice in her mind brings reality crashing down around her.

That's right. She's dying.

* * *

Author's Note:

Just FYI:

 _Italicized words:_ personal thoughts or sounds or words said in Egyptian language.

 ** _Italicized/Bolded words_** : power infused words of otherworldly beings said in Egyptian language (AKA: Imhotep or Bastet)


	16. Chapter 16

_Chapter 16 is a go!_

 _Thanks a bunch for your patience!_

 _-Ravyne_

 _(Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the 'MUMMY' movies or any of their characters. Just my characters Katherine and Bastet belong to me.)_

* * *

 **Life Forsakes Her**

 **Chapter 16:**

Ardeth swiftly pulls her close to him again so tight that it almost hurts, "Keep fighting. Do not let this win."

Kat's bloody tears come faster as she burrows her face deep into the robes at the crook of his broad shoulder. She inhales his scent, everything about the desert that she's come to love, and tries to memorize the very essence of it deep into her mind.

"Promise me," he whispers frantically as he hugs her tights. "Promise me."

Kat squeezes her eyes shut tightly, _I can't promise him that. There's no guarantee that I'll…_ The truth weighs like a ton on her heart and she wishes more than anything that she just had more time. _I can't lie to him…_

 _ **If you cannot lie to him…you must give him the truth**_ , Bastet whispers to her.

"Promise me," Ardeth pleads as his breath brushes against her bare shoulder where her kisses her tenderly at the small hallow where her neck begins.

Kat opens her eyes, staring up at the moon above that hovers low in the sky. She's always thought it looked so lonely and cold. Now it just looks mournful. Parting her lips, she turns her head towards his neck and releases the only truth bearing painfully and beautifully on her heart.

"I love you."

Ardeth goes still giving her the distraction she needs to place a kiss to his throat, right above the pulse beating there, and then tearing free from his grasp. Kat spins away from him and calls on the power of the weapon which reacts instantly to her bidding and pushes energy into her legs. The burst of strength rushes her forward to impossible speeds and the jungle rushes by in a blur.

She side steps numerous traps from quicksand to snares and even gun shots from stray cult members still lingering in the area. She hears a terrified scream that catches her attention as she comes around a curve in the pathway and she skids to a stop. A cult member has fallen over backward against a stone that eerily resembles a tombstone and a long wooden spear is protruding from his chest.

Kat winces and moves past the circle of stones down a new path that points off in the direction of the pyramid. The jungle parts for her as she speeds through effortlessly but her run is cut short when the trees open up into an abrupt clearing. She skids to a stop before she can be tossed off the edge of the cliff before her.

 _Great, now what?!_ , she thinks with a frustrated grit of her teeth as she glances across the ravine in front of her. It's about a two hundred foot drop to the water below and she's sure she wouldn't survive a fall like that, not in the state she's in.

 _ **I will help you**_ , Bastet tells her. The familiar anger spreads through her system, boiling her blood, and the strength of the weapon increases. Kat's eyes burn bright as she races forward and leaps from the edge. The power in her legs propels her weightlessly through the air like a lethal shadow and lands her on the other side of the ravine gracefully.

She keeps pushing on through the jungle without stopping to think twice about what just happened. Those creepy little rabid monkeys see her coming and slink out of her way as she races by. As the sun begins to lighten the sky above, she slightly wonders if time somehow moves faster here. Hadn't the moon just been hanging in the sky? Hadn't she just been in the safe circle of Ardeth's arms? How long has she been running through this accursed jungle?

The towering gold pyramid appears above the arch of the tree tops as the sun turns it into a shimmering mountain of brilliance that only effectively changes its ominous presence into an even more deadly one. She pushes her legs faster, thankful that the curse's strength is still beating powerfully to aid her.

The sky if fully alight by the time she exits the jungle to the pyramid beyond. The sand here glows almost as brightly as the gold of the tower itself and yet the entire majestic power of the place is dulled by the death before her eyes.

At first Kat isn't sure what she's looking at. Jonathan is kneeling down on the ground, holding Evie's hands who is lying asleep in the sand. Alex's small back is turned to her, looking completely lost as he stares off at the entrance to the pyramid.

As she approaches, Jonathan's pale face looks up to meet her eyes and she realizes that his are wet with tears. She blinks in confusion, "What's…what's going on? Where's Rick?"

Her brother-in-law just drops his eyes to Evie and Kat does the same. The woman looks pale, silent…dead.

 _Oh my God_ , Kat stops breathing.

"You could've stopped this!"

She tears her eyes up, already filling back up with tears, and nearly flinches at the anger in Alex's usually bright blue eyes.

The little boy rushes up to her and pushes her backward, "You could've stopped this! You could've done something! Why weren't you here?!"

Kat's face contorts in pain and he keeps pushing her back and weakly punching her stomach. She wants to hug him, to tell him she's sorry, but everything inside of her has turned cold. Ever since this curse began, people around her have paid the price.

Her brother's son was kidnapped. Ardeth lost his Horus. Now Evie…

 _It's all my fault…_

 _ **Katherine**_ , Bastet's hands touch her consciousness gently, comfortingly, _**You are too emotional right now. Let me help you.**_

Kat lets her mind slip back at the woman's soft pull, feeling herself falling backward into the darkness of her being. Bastet's embrace takes her place easily and she doesn't fight it this time.

* * *

Bastet's eyes turn down at the small child still beating at her stomach feebly; his emotions are raw on his face. She would not know the loss of a mother—growing up in the streets of Egypt had not allowed for such luxuries. But she does feel for this child.

Maybe it is Katherine's emotions she is experiencing, as she does Bastet's anger from time to time. Bastet lifts Katherine's hands, her hands, and rests them on the boy's soft hair. Oh, to feel again. Even if it is through someone else's body. For so many eons she had rested in darkness with only her anger to keep her company. Then to awaken once more into a body that was no longer her own…

Misfortune would just not leave her be.

The small boy, Alex as Katherine calls him, turns his glare up at her and she is met with the full strength of his anger. She would chuckle at his bravery if the situation was a better one. Bastet rubs his head again and then glances off at the dead woman on the ground.

The princess's reincarnation.

Nefertiri turned Evie.

So different yet so the same. It is good to see her friend after all this time; she just wishes it was under better circumstances.

"You could've done something."

Bastet turns back to the small child before her. She can tell that he no longer speaks to Katherine; his very anger is pointed to her. She is not sure how he knows that she holds the body in her sway now but it is obvious he sees her now and not his aunt.

She opens her mouth with one last brush of her hand over his soft blonde hair and speaks to him in her language. Seeing through Katherine's eyes for so long, Bastet knows how smart the child is and knows he will understand her, " _ **I will. I will end this.**_ "

Alex's hands drop from her sides and he moves aside as she throws one last look at Evie's still corpse before heading towards the pyramid entrance.

It is time to finish this.

This war has gone on long enough.

* * *

The doors to the inner sanctum click and creak open, the gold cobras that make up the handles move aside as the darkness behind them is exposed. Hanging in the top of the doorway is a massive shadow of a creature with numerous legs and sharp claws. With a roar, the creature comes alive and lowers itself to the floor before exiting the chamber where it was locked away.

Half man, half scorpion, the Scorpion King stands tall and proud with a face of pure arrogance and evil. He is ready to take on those who have assembled to challenge him. At the sight of the two mortal men before him, he grins at the obviously easy challenge and snaps his pinchers threateningly at his prey. His tail weaves, swaying the stinger at the ready above his head.

Bastet moves quickly behind the pillar to avoid being seen yet.

Rick O'Connell twists his dual axes before him uneasily as he stares down the giant before him. She believes now what the madjai had stated about him just a short while ago: he does have the destiny to be a protector of man.

On the other side of the platform, her eyes swing to take in the back of Imhotep and she growls. The last time they had met face to face, he had been nothing but bone and muck. He is now fully regenerated and clothed in flesh and power, though something is off.

She narrows her glowing eyes at the man. His power appears to be missing.

Imhotep spins away from the Scorpion King out of nowhere and rushes towards a golden pillar nearby. The pit of fire beyond it stops him in his tracks but it doesn't keep the Scorpion King from encroaching in on the tiny man.

Imhotep quickly discards his weapons, drops to one knee and crosses his hands over his chest, " _ **I am your servant!**_ " His exclaim stops the Scorpion King and Bastet scoffs, feeling her teeth extend to fangs.

 _ **Coward!**_ , she hisses to herself.

The Scorpion King scoffs in disbelief and replies in Egyptian, " _ **We shall see.**_ "

Bastet is about to step out and attack while her target is disarmed but then Imhotep shoots an arm out and thrusts a finger across the room at Katherine's brother, " _ **But**_ _ **he**_ _ **was sent to kill you!**_ "

The Scorpion King growls, spinning to glare at the O'Connell man, and then with a snap of his scorpion pinchers takes off towards him angrily. Bastet glowers in alarm; Imhotep has dropped to an unrecognizable level. He would've never stooped to such measures. Her anger clouds her already glowing eyes and makes them blaze brighter. Swinging around the gold pillar, she finds one of the many scorpion statues around the room and pulls out a long spear with daggered ends. She spots Imhotep working his way back towards the front of the room and spins the spear over her head.

Now she would have her revenge. Now she would end it all.

 _Bastet, please! Remember what I told you!_ , Katherine's voice echoes in her mind.

 _ **Do not try to stop me!**_ , she shoots back before pausing behind the pillar Imhotep is about to circle around.

The second she sees him, Bastet lets out a growl, " _ **You shame yourself, coward!**_ "

Imhotep spins towards her and ducks as her spear swings wide over his head and scratches the golden pillar with a spray of sparks. He makes his way to the statue nearest to him and grabs hold of an axe to defend himself with, " _ **I see you have pulled yourself back together, Bastet.**_ "

" _ **I was never broken!**_ " she roars with another attack. He deflects her spear easily but his back foot fumbles to regain ground as he's forced to step back.

An impossible roar quakes the room, throwing them both off balance for a second. After, a voice calls over the crackle of the flames around the room, "My lord!"

Imhotep and Bastet pause in their fighting to look back across the room. She's only seen the man through Katherine's eyes a few times but she does recognize the cult leader. The Scorpion King has snatched him up, seeing him as another challenger, and carries him off to the ceiling.

"Save me, save me!" the man cries.

" _ **Why?**_ " Imhotep scoffs uncaringly.

" _ **You heartless, demon!**_ " Bastet swings her spear again and he rolls over the floor to dodge. Bastet back steps as his axe comes dangerously close to cleaving open her face. They continue on back and forth, deflecting and attacking. Bastet finds an opening in his defense and thrusts her spear forward. The blade slices open the top layer of skin down Imhotep's side as he tries to dodge, earning her a glare from him as he grabs the front of Katherine's shirt and throws her back across the room.

Even without his power, his strength is still impossible.

Her back hits the wall and Bastet can feel her consciousness waver.

 _Bastet, stop this! Getting revenge will only make you feel worse_ , Katherine cries.

" _ **Shut up!**_ " she groans.

" _ **It would seem you are still broken. I wonder how you are able to stand before me.**_ " Imhotep reaches her as she's trying to stand to her feet, grabs her around the neck, and hurls her away again. This time, her contact with the wall shatters her concentration and Katherine is hurled to the forefront of her mind again, pushing Bastet free of her hold.

* * *

"Kat! Are you alright?"

Kat shakes her spinning head and glances down at the grip pulling her up by her elbow. At first the image is blurred beyond recognition but as her head stops spinning, the now-normal red vision she's kind of gotten used to sharped back up and Rick's face appears before her.

"R-Rick?"

"Come get up," he helps her unsteadily to her feet and they both lean back against the black rock wall. "You alright?"

"Bastet won't listen to me," she responds. "She wants her revenge and I can understand that but it won't help her."

Rick listens to her rant and rave like a lunatic before he grabs her shoulder comfortingly, "Revenge may not be a good thing, Kat, but this guy's done a lot of bad stuff. He's got to pay his consequences. Help Bastet to see that."

"She won't listen to me," Kat repeats in a near panic.

"Help her to."

Kat is about to respond if not for the weird look that comes over her brother's face. His eyes move to the black rock behind them and she follows his gaze. An Egyptian figure is carved into the wall, the clothes and jewelry and head dress painted in bright colors to stand out but it's the gold stick that they both find oddly attractive.

"Is that…?" she scrunches up one eye in confusion as she takes a step back to get a better look.

Rick removes his leather band around his right wrist and places his arm against the wall, drawing Kat's gaze. Her eyes widen. Rick's tattoo matches the tattoo on the arm of the figure on the wall!

Her brother glances her way and Kat follows suit as she too rips her bracelet off and holds it out: a perfect match. They both back away to get a fuller look at the figures on the wall. They're all lined up in a row almost like an instruction manual. The first figure holds the stick, the second has raised it above his head, the third turns the stick into a spear, and the forth is of the spear piercing the heart of the Scorpion King.

The two siblings are breathing even heavier than they were before as they stare at the ending picture with gapping mouths like fish.

"Okay," Kat breathes.

"Now, I'm a believer," Rick adds.

They both turn to each other as realization sets in: they need the gold stick!

"Rick!"

Each of them spin on their heels at the voice calling over the roars of the room and recognize Jonathan's cries instantly. Together they make their way back to the center of the room and sure enough Jonathan and Alex are at the entrance way to the temple. Kat wants to hurl something at her brother-in-law for being stupid enough to bring a child into a dangerous place like this but she rolls her eyes. Alex would've found a way in; recklessness runs in the family apparently.

"Jonathan!" Rick screams to get his attention and their brother-in-law raises the gold stick, obviously restolen from Izzy, into the air to salute the two. "It's a spear!" Rick continues, "The golden-stick-thing, it's a—it's a spear!"

"Really?" Jonathan looks down at the stick in question and screws up his face with a shake of his head. "Doesn't look like a spear!"

Frustration taking over, Kat yells back, "No! It's because it opens up into one!"

The wily man nods with a blank face as if the two are speaking in a foreign language to him, "Yes? And?"

"Jonathan!" Rick has come to the end of the rope with the man, she can hear it in his voice, "It opens up! Into! A spear! It-!"

A roar cuts into the conversation and Kat and Rick turn around, horrified by their terrible luck. The Scorpion King has found them once again, crawling across the wall where it meet the ceiling, and then lunging down at them for the kill.

Jonathan and Alex are obviously not prepared for the sight before them because they both start screaming bloody murder at the top of their lungs. Rick dives out of the way but Kat is forced back into the pillar behind her as the Scorpion King throws aside one of the oil fires burning in the golden brazier out of his way and zeroes in on her instead.

Kat presses back against the pillar, unable to move due to the fiery ravines burning around the backside and sides of the section she's standing on, and her eyes bulge out of her head. A sudden pressure pushes against the back of her head and she can feel the burning in her eyes worsen as the weapon takes hold.

Her labored breathing calms and she pushes up off the pillar to stand tall and steady at the approaching monster before her. A strange peace settles over her as she gazes into the Scorpion King's eyes. The beast's roar comes to a stop as he skids to a halt before her.

For a long time their eyes remain glued to each other, a silent communication passing between the two. Not far off, completely void of their notice, Rick and Imhotep have stopped in their tracks to watch the exchange in confusion.

Rick is trying to figure out why the heck his sister isn't running for her life and Imhotep wants to know why the beast hasn't ripped off the woman's head without a second thought.

A moment later, the Scorpion King and the weapon turn away from each other, facing Rick and Imhotep, and dark grins plaster onto their faces as they each lock their eyes on their chosen targets. The Scorpion King tears forward after Rick again and the weapon lifts an axe from a statue's hands on her way to confront Imhotep once more.

Kat can feel the anger tear through her at the sight of Imhotep and Bastet clawing her way forward to regain control of their body again. She can't face the woman directly, Bastet won't listen to her, so she can only think of one thing to do.

" _If you're so hell-bent on destroying him, I won't stand in your way_ ," Kat tells her.

" _ **You cannot stop me, Katherine**_ ," Bastet growls at her. " _ **I have waited eons for my revenge. He will pay for what he has done!**_ "

" _As he should, but killing him isn't the way to do it_ ," she replies. " _You have to forgive him. This will only hurt you in the end._ "

" _ **I do not care what happens to me!**_ "

" _I care what happens to you!_ "

Bastet pauses for just a moment at her words, _**"I am sorry, Katherine, but this is my destiny, my future.**_ "

" _The future isn't set in stone. You can choose a different path, just as I did. Remember what Ardeth told me? He said that I was marked as a protector but how I chose to walk that path was up to me. I'm reckless by nature so putting myself in harm's way to protect my family from that harm…I would do it in a heartbeat. You can choose a different way too, Bastet._ "

The Egyptian woman doesn't respond as the battles around them continue to define the future barreling towards them. When she does respond, the anger has flared again, " _ **I have chosen!**_ "

Kat's presence is thrown back and Bastet moves to take over the body again.

* * *

Author's Note:

Just FYI:

 _Italicized words:_ personal thoughts or sounds or words said in Egyptian language.

 ** _Italicized/Bolded words_** : power infused words of otherworldly beings said in Egyptian language (AKA: Imhotep or Bastet)


	17. Chapter 17

_Chapter 17 is a go!_

 _Thanks a bunch for your patience!_

 _-Ravyne_

 _(Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the 'MUMMY' movies or any of their characters. Just my characters Katherine and Bastet belong to me.)_

* * *

 **Life Forsakes Her**

 **Chapter 17:**

The axe in her hands comes into her control and she roars as she charges Imhotep. He raises his axe to stop hers and the two weapons lock together; he throws his weight against them and she's shoved back off her feet. She falls to her backside only to quickly roll over to avoid his blade as it tears into the stone where she once laid and sparks spray hot and bright into the air.

Her muscles are starting to burn despite the strength from the weapon and Bastet comes to sudden comprehension that Katherine's body is almost to the breaking point. Blood is falling freely from her nose and she can taste the coppery flavor in her mouth.

She'll end this before that can happen.

A loud, unruly argument catches their attention as their axes clash again and lock, each of them pushing hard against the other to try and throw them off. Imhotep braves a look to his left and Bastet pushes harder against his iron-strong grip.

"No, no, twist it!" Young Alex and his uncle are arguing over the gold stick in their hands, trying to read the tiny written instruction on the handle.

"Pull it, right! That is—that says push!" the uncle reads.

"No, that says pull!" Alex argues.

Imhotep gasps and uses an abrupt burst of strength to throw Bastet back again before rushing towards the two, " _ **The Spear of Osiris!**_ "

"Jonathan, quick!" A woman screams.

Bastet hurries to her feet to stop Imhotep from attacking the two but he turns on her and places a well-placed punch to her abdomen. Winded, she falls to her side with a frustrated growl.

"Jonathan, throw it! Kill the Scorpion King! Send his army back to the underworld!" the woman from somewhere in the room screams again.

"Stand aside, Alex! I'm a professional!" Jonathan urges his nephew to the side just as Bastet is crawling to her feet. Blood has started to seep from Katherine's eyes.

Imhotep leaps up to the level of a pillar near the center of the room just as Jonathan is hurling the spear across the room and snatches it from the air with a victorious yell. " _ **The Army of Anubis shall now be MINE!**_ " Imhotep lifts the spear and launches it towards the Scorpion King.

" _ **No!**_ " Bastet roars.

"RICK!" a woman's voice joins hers.

Bastet collapses into a pillar weakly as she's forced to watch in defeat as the spear whips effortlessly through the flames and spin dangerously towards the Scorpion King still distracted in his battle with Rick O'Connell across the room.

No one expects to see that very same Rick launch himself through the air to grab hold of the spear before it can skewer the beast alive, the Scorpion King's giant pincher right behind him at his waist. Imhotep howls in outrage.

Bastet whips her eyes to her right as Imhotep rushes after Rick who flips across the stone floor to break his fall and she lurches her broken body forward for one last attempt to stop him, skidding down onto her side and tripping the priest off his feet. She rips one of Katherine's blades out of the sheath at her ankles and scrambles over to straddle Inhotep's waist so she can lift the blade over her head and deliver the final blow into his heart.

 _Bastet, PLEASE! Don't do this!_ , Katherine cries within her.

 _ **SHUT UP!**_

Imhotep grabs her wrists as she's bringing it down on him and pushes her weight over onto the ground so he can jump to his feet. It's too late though.

Just as Bastet rolling over to sit up on her elbows, they both watch as Rick starts to fall backward into the fiery ravine that cracks the entire floor of the temple room.

"NO!" a woman screams.

Katherine's bother thrusts the spear up into the Scorpion King's stomach as the beast looms over him and the giant freezes to a stop. With the spear swallowed to the base through the King, Rick is kept from falling any further to his doom. Imhotep falls to a knee just on the other side of the ravine and holds his hands out in defeat at them with an overwhelmed cry.

 _ **Good**_ , Bastet thinks. _**Now I can kill him without having to worry about anything else.**_

 _Bastet don't!_

She throws her anger into Katherine's presence and it's shoved away from her with such force that she can feel it slam into the back of her skull.

"Go to hell," Rick screams up at the Scorpion King, "And take your friends with you!" He twists the spear with one last jerk and the King roars louder than he ever has before. He explodes into a mass of black sand that fills the room. Everyone is forced to cover their faces against the dark wave that washes over them.

It seems like it takes forever for the darkness to vanish completely, shaking the whole temple with a terrible earthquake that rattles the world around them. Bastet opens her eyes to chaos.

The ceiling is crumbling above, sending a hailstorm of jagged rocks crashing to the floor around her. She quickly rolls to the side and takes shelter under the towering form of the nearest gold pillar to her. Her eyes fall to the wetness sticking to her chest and finds blood all over the white shirt Katherine wears.

 _ **You will forgive me**_ , she says to the young woman inside her.

Silence.

 _ **Katherine?**_

Silence.

 _ **KATHERINE?!**_

There is no answer from the darkness within her, only the spiraling energies of the weapon pulling urgently on the body to finish its task. Bastet feels it then… Her own self blurring, vanishing…fading.

 _ **No… No! Not yet!**_ Bastet cries internally as she lifts a bloody had away from her face. _**No, Katherine! Answer me!**_

A cold shudder is starting to shake through her as one last cold spell tries to spread through the ruined body they once both shared. Being alone…Bastet isn't used to this. She hates the feeling!

 _ **Katherine,**_ _ **please answer me**_ _ **!**_

"Rick!"

Bastet lifts her heavy head and looks to her right. Standing under the shelter of the entrance way, Rick's wife, known as Evie, stands tall and alive as she looks out through the falling rocks frantically. Her panicked voice calls out for her husband.

Was he alive? Dead?

Right now, Bastet doesn't care. Her eyes have glued to the woman beside Evie and her anger comes roiling back to life like venom and acid in her blood.

 _ **Anck-su-Namun?! NO!**_

A loud groan from a struggle pulls Bastet's eyes back across the room where the Scorpion King had once been before he had exploded before her eyes. He, Rick, and Imhotep are gone from view…

At least for the moment. Her eyes drop to the ravine and widen. Both Imhotep and Rick are clenching the side of the ravine for dear life as if something below is pulling on them. Every so often they would get an arm up over the side only to be pulled back down again, struggling to keep their fingertips from slipping over the edge.

Rick's head pops up further as he stares back at his wife under the cover of the entrance way. Bastet looks back over with him, trying to see why his face has gone abruptly pale.

Evie is watching him with warily glances up at the ceiling, her eyes full of fierce determination and resolve and love for her husband so far away from her. Bastet recognizes that look; it's the same look that she had once held in her own eyes for Imhotep. She knows Evie would follow Rick anywhere, protect him from anything, and give her own life to see him happy.

Bastet's long dead heart beats once in her chest weakly as she continues to fade out of the body. The weapon continues to pull at her as it tries to finish the curse but she's too weak.

"Evie! No!" Rick cries. "Get out of here! Just get out of here!"

Across the long distance, Evie remains rooted where she stands, her determined look becoming more solidified by the second. Bastet smiles a bit. There's no way she'd leave.

"No!" Just as Rick tries to plead once more with his wife to escape to safely, Evie rips forward from the safety of the entranceway and out into the chaos of the crumbling temple. Dodging the falling spears of rocks crashing around her, she comes to a pause under the shade of a pillar before carrying on up the levels of the temple floor to where her husband struggles to keep ahold of the edge. With one last push, Evie throws herself forward, landing on her stomach, and clutches tightly to her husband's hand.

Bastet leans up off her pillar, falling to the side on her elbow as she watches in sheer amazement at the feat. Together, Evie and Rick pull him up the side of the ravine with a great effort.

Her eyes shift to Imhotep still struggling where he grasps the side of the ledge. His gaze is locked to the couple beside him for a moment before he extends his arms out to his own love back at the other end of the room.

" _ **Anck-su-Namun!**_ " he cries out to her. " _ **HELP ME! HELP ME!**_ "

Anck-su-Namun stares in fear out at him for a long moment before turning on her heel with a cry and disappears into the temple beyond. Bastet's breath stops in her chest. She has always known the woman to be a coward. She had tried to tell Imhotep this thousands of times… The woman only wanted power. Never love.

Her eyes find Imhotep's again. His gaze is filling with tears, heartbroken at her denial of him, " _ **ANCK-SU-NAMUN!**_ "

 _ **I warned you!**_ , Bastet wants to scream at him. _**You are a FOOL!**_ Her anger blazes like a sun inside of her, strengthening the body's arms and legs enough for her to pull out the remaining knife in the belt around the waist.

Imhotep's whimpering cries fill her ears as she crawls on her knees towards him. She'll end this! He'll die by her hand for all he's done! He's brought this on himself! Bastet watches the priest who was once her brother so very long ago turn his sorrow-filled eyes towards Rick and his wife who have made it safely out of the ravine and over to the pillar to take shelter.

Bastet almost feels sorry for him. Her rage is stronger. Imhotep face changes suddenly, a sad smile touching his lips, and Bastet freezes. This emotion too she's once felt. When Imhotep had turned from her, betrayed the priesthood, killed the Pharaoh, and ruined all their lives...Bastet had felt completely crushed, alone, and filled with shame. She'd just wanted it all to end…

 _ **No**_ , she thinks. _**He wouldn't…**_

Imhotep drops his arm from the ledge, his eyes trailing back to the entranceway where his love had once been before she crushed his heart, and he lets go of the side.

" _ **NO!**_ " Bastet lurches forward and the weapon rears to life. Her hand thrusts down into the fiery pit and latches onto Imhotep's wrist securely and she uses the weapon's strength to haul him back up. The weapon throbs eagerly as she raises the knife high over her head so she can plunge it into him.

Imhotep's eyes gaze up at her, first in surprise but then in an utterly serene calm.

Bastet's gaze blurs from the blood spilling from them, _**You deserve this! You deserve this!**_

Imhotep's eyes close calmly, awaiting her retribution. The weapon's power pulses readily to fuel her attack. All she has to do is drive the knife into him. The weapon's curse will be completed! She would have her revenge! Katherine would not have died for nothing!

So then why won't her hand move…?

Bastet can't hear anything anymore, can't see anything anymore. The only thing there is that one frustrating memory that keeps replaying over and over and over…

" _I decided to choose a different road, one of happiness, because my betrayer could never defeat a person who's living a joyful life. And you know what? I got my freedom that day. I was released from the anger, the pain, the hate—I got my life back… Imhotep isn't worth destroying your life. You have to forgive him. I care what happens to you! You have to forgive him._ "

" _ **Bastet…**_ " Imhotep's voice whispers weakly up to her.

The knife drops from her hand with a _clang_ as a shattering sob wrecks her body. Bastet's eyes close tightly as she curls in on herself. This isn't just blood coming from her eyes. These are her tears. For so long, she's believed herself dry and empty.

" _ **Bastet**_ ," her brother calls softly.

" _ **I am sorry**_ ," she sobs as she reaches out to grab his other hand and struggle to pull him up. " _ **I am sorry! Forgive me, please! I am sorry!**_ "

Imhotep reaches up and places his palm against her cheek making her pause, " _ **You need not apologize. I should apologize. Forgive me, sister.**_ "

Bastet leans into his hand as fresh tears shed from her burning eyes, mixing with warm blood that paints her already stained face.

" _ **Look what I have done to you**_ ," his expression becomes tortured as his thumb tries feebly to wipe her face clear. " _ **Forgive me.**_ "

She presses her lips into a tight line, reaching up to cradle his face with her own free hand. Her words are true and clear between them, " _ **I forgive you…brother.**_ "

Thousands of years of darkness and rage and chains and pain bent on crushing her heart shatter into nothingness and the weight that lifts off of her leaves her feeling bright and free for the first time in what feels like forever. She grabs onto her brother's wrists and starts pulling.

Imhotep stops her, " _ **No, Bastet.**_ "

She pauses, eyebrows pulling together in confusion, " _ **Let me help you.**_ "

He reaches up to cradle her face again, " _ **Not this time. I have done so much wrong…I must face my consequences.**_ "

She starts to hyperventilate, " _ **Then we will face them together-!**_ "

" _ **Not this time. It is my consequence, not yours.**_ "

" _ **No, do not do this! It is not right-!**_ "

Imhotep smiles and kisses her hand gently, " _ **I will see you again.**_ "

" _ **No…**_ " Bastet whimpers, shaking her head weakly as he lets his weight sag against her. She slides over the edge and blinks in alarms. Thousands upon thousands of fiery demons of the underworld grasp onto Imhotep's legs, drawing him to his death. She struggles harder to pull him back up to her, crying out when one of his hands slips from her grasp, " _ **No! Imhotep, please!**_ "

" _ **We will be together again, my sister**_ ," he promises with his soft smile. " _ **Let me go. Let me make this right. I was never supposed to be here—none of this should have happened. Let me go.**_ "

Bastet sobs outwardly now as she shakes her head back and forth at his words.

" _ **I love you, my dear sister**_ ," Imhotep shrinks his hand and he slips.

" _ **NO!**_ " She watches in horror as he falls and falls and falls, the demons below grasping for him on every limb. He doesn't fight them as his distant form is carried away from her sight but not before his body is ripped apart.

The curse inside her shudders with a growl. Pain explodes in her chest. Bastet crawls up to her knees, another sob slipping out softly through her lips, before she tilts her head back and she releases all her sorrows into the air with a powerful cry.

A neon green light erupts from her body, filling the room with even more power than the Scorpion King's death had caused.

And Bastet is gone.

* * *

"Rick, we have to move!" Evie demands, shaking her husband from the shock that has taken over him and turned him to stone at her side. When the green light had finally dissipated, they find all the chaos, all the noise, all the shuddering in the room frozen in time. She and Rick rush to Kat's side where she had fallen onto her back only to find her covered in blood. It spills from her eyes, nose, and mouth, staining her face in red.

Rick drops to his knees and becomes a statue at the crushing sight before him.

It isn't until the room starts to quake again, threatening to restart time if they didn't get moving, that Evie begins to shake her husband's shoulder.

"Rick, now!" she orders. Rick comes alive as a jagged rock that had stopped in midair comes loose from the spell and shatters against the stone floor with an ear splitting _crack_. The man picks up his sister's limp body into his arms and starts shouting for everyone to run. He and his family follow the maze of hallways back through the temple as time starts back up again and the earthquakes continue to bring down the pyramid around them.

Back in the front chamber they are met with a powerful vacuum sucking in the jungle around them down into the temple's depths. They press up against the wall to avoid being hit by the debris until Rick motions with his head towards a doorway with stairs leading outside.

"Let's go up!" They all climb the stairs in a rush and exit onto the outside walls of the pyramid overlooking the rushing waves of debris being pulled into the temple below them and causing a whirl pool of whipping winds around them. Rick calls out over the noise of it all, "This whole damn place is going to get sucked up! Let's move up!"

With Evie and Jonathan helping Alex to climb, Rick tucks his sister's body close to him as he climbs up behind them. Each gold level carries them further and further to the top until they are at the base of a huge scorpion statue that decorates the top in solid gold.

"Rick, we're trapped," Evie cries as they stare out at the edges of the oasis closing in over them. Rick swallows in defeat, realizing that he and his family aren't going to make it out of this adventure alive. He wraps a free arm around his wife's shoulders as she tucks her son close to her body and he brings them towards him. At least they're together.

That is enough.

"Oi!"

They all look up as the dirigible, flown by Izzy once more, lowers down towards them. A smile breaks out across Rick's face, "Izzy!"

"Come on, come on! Get your butts moving!" Izzy orders loudly, "Hurry up, hurry up! I haven't got all day!"

Rick uses his free arm to usher his son and wife up onboard of the ship and then hands Kat's body up to them so he can lift himself onto the deck. Jonathan is busy climbing up the netting hanging loose off the side of the boat when his grip falters and he falls backward with a cry.

"Jonathan!" Rick leans down to grab the netting, thankful that the weaving caught the man by the ankle before he can fall to his death into the vacuum below.

"Pull him up! Pull him up!" Izzy shouts.

"Pull me up! Pull me up!" Jonathan begs. He waves around frantically as his life hangs in the balance…but then his eyes catch the glitter of something and he looks down. There at the top of the pyramid, in the hands of the scorpion statue, is the diamond of legend…calling out his name. "Wait! Wait! Let me down! Let me down!"

"It's not worth your life, you idiot!" Rick curses the second he realizes what his brother-in-law is after.

"Yes it is! Yes it is!" Jonathan cries back up as he stretches out his arms towards the glittering jewel before him. His fingers find the edges of the diamond and just as he grabs it, Izzy puts the dirigible into high speed and it tears up into the air rapidly. The pyramid below is sucked into the void below right before Jonathan's eyes and he screams bloody murder. "AGH! PULL ME UP! PULL ME UP!"

The oasis collapses in on itself, sending up a cloud of dust into the sky above and spitting out the dirigible in the process. Everyone collapses onto the deck of the dirigible trying to catch their breath as the world goes silent around them. Izzy stands up, brushing off the branches and sand from his body.

When he sees the feat that he's pulled off, he raises his hands in victory and lets out a whoop. Rick chuckles weakly at his friend's celebration only to have the pilot turn serious on him in a flash, "O'Connell, you almost got me killed!"

Rick grins sheepishly up at him, raising his hands up in his best attempt at a shrug, "At least you didn't get shot."

Izzy fumbles for the right comeback but Evie rushes up before he can and smothers him with kisses of thanks for saving their lives. The pilot loosens up under her appreciation and finally lets out a chuckle, "O'Connell, who the hell you been messing with this time? Huh?"

Rick climbs painfully to his feet with a groan, "Oh, you know, the usual. Mummies, pygmies…big bugs."

"Mom… Dad…" Everyone turns to Alex who has knelt down beside Kat's bloody body, tears burning in his eyes. "Aunt Kat won't wake up. She's won't breathe."

They quickly rush to her side, Rick picking his sister's head up gently to lay it across his lap. Sure enough, she's not breathing. His hands fumble shakily to find a pulse somewhere. No heart beat thrums beneath her skin.

"No," Rick stutters. "N-no, Kat. Kat, wake up!" He places her back down on her back, lifts her chin, pinches her nose, and breathes air into her mouth. For a long time they try to get her to breathe, to make her heart start again, to get her eyes to open.

Kat's body remains silent; unresponsive.

"NO!" Rick grabs his head and drops his forehead to his sister's stomach as Evie comes around to wrap her arms around him. "No! No, no, no, no!"

Alex cries silently into his uncle's shoulder as despair washes over them all.

"No, God, no!" Rick O'Connell sobs into her sister's corpse, his tears soaking her bloody shirt. He cries for her, his son, his wife…

Rick O'Connell never thought he'd feel this defeated.

He'd failed. It was his fault…

They all came to his side, wrapping their arms around him as their tears joined his and they mourned the loss of Katherine O'Connell. She had truly died for the sake of the world.

* * *

Author's Note:

Just FYI:

 _Italicized words:_ personal thoughts or sounds or words said in Egyptian language.

 ** _Italicized/Bolded words_** : power infused words of otherworldly beings said in Egyptian language (AKA: Imhotep or Bastet)


	18. Chapter 18

_SIKE!_

 _Okay, so that ending was a prank! I wanted to see how many people would fall for Kat's death and not many people did. Well, done you all! Anyhoo, here's the real chapter 18 and the real ending to the story. Hope you enjoy and please leave a review if you see any mistakes so I can fix them._

 _Thanks a bunch for your patience!_

 _-Ravyne_

 _(Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the 'MUMMY' movies or any of their characters. Just my characters Katherine and Bastet belong to me.)_

* * *

 **Life Forsakes Her**

 **Chapter 18:**

Ardeth had commanded his brothers to stand down and rest up after the battle they had just faced with the army of Anubis. Many of the warriors had lost their lives, others would die within the night, while others would be lucky enough to return home to their families. Some of those awaiting families will never again see their loved ones but Ardeth makes a promise to himself that he will see those families cared for and supported during their hard times.

They had all witnessed the destruction of Ahm Shere as it sank beneath the sand forever with the destruction of the Scorpion Kind and Ardeth knows that it's all thanks to the O'Connell's. They are forever in the family's debt for all they have done. Some of his men have even expressed their own individual needs to thank the family and he wonders if the O'Connell's would accept an invitation from him to come and let his people express their appreciation to them personally.

They will need to do something after the mayhem the family has faced for the world.

Ardeth's horse blows out of his nose impatiently as he pulls him to a stop once more at the top of a sand dune. Beside him, one of his fellow brothers sits atop his own white horse and leads a secondary mare of caramel color behind him. The idea came to him at the last minute but he is hopeful it will be accepted.

Ardeth is prepared to ask O'Connell to allow him to escort Katherine to his home. His fellow commanders want to thank her specifically for her bravery but also…deep down…Ardeth wants her to see his home. He wants to share with her as much as she has been willing to share with him.

He believes with every ounce of his heart that being apart from her ever again will be too much for him to bear. Madjai are taught to be strong, silent, protective warriors of men, to never open themselves to any distractions or weaknesses, but it is universally believed among his people that love is no weakness.

And he does love her.

More than his own life, more than his own heart.

Above him, the dirigible that had once fallen from the sky now flies renewed through the skies towards them, hovering down to the bottom of the dune in order to land. He sees no one but Izzy on board until it finally comes to rest on the ground and exposes the deck of the ship.

Rick's family is hunkered down low to the deck in a small circle but only for a moment. As the ship lands and the engines power down, Rick stands up while Evie helps him to his feet before grabbing a large blanket from the back of one of the chairs. The O'Connell's son and Jonathan hop down off the ship first and that's when Ardeth realizes something is off.

The young boy immediately collapses against his uncle's side and buries his face into the man's stomach as Jonathan rubs his back comfortingly. A moment later, Jonathan lifts his gaze slowly up to the top of the dune where Ardeth and his brother wait.

He swings his leg off over the horse, shouting an order back over his shoulder as he makes his way down to the side of the dune. His steps falter when Rick turns and carries his sister's form from the ship last. Ardeth's heart stops in his chest.

The whole front of her shirt is covered with blood, her face from her eyes and nose and mouth bleed red as the source. Evie is stretching out the blanket along the ground so Rick can rest Kat's body down on top of it gently as Ardeth stops beside them.

His legs give out and he falls to his knees suddenly weaker than he's ever been in his life. Evie reaches out to grab his shoulder but he doesn't feel it. He doesn't feel anything. His very life is lying dead on the ground before him; he will never feel again.

"Ardeth, I know how you're feeling," Evie tells him, "But you need to read this."

She holds out a sheet of paper to him, it's plain and small, folded once in half. With hardly any control over the shaking in his hands, Ardeth reaches up and takes it from her, opening it to the writing inside. The handwriting is familiar, blurred in a few places where tears had landed across the ink. This is Katherine's handwriting.

 _My dearest loved ones, if you're reading this, well I guess I'm gone. I've made contact with Bastet within me and she's helped me to understand a bit more about her. She had a gift to feel how a person's future would play out. The future isn't set in stone, of course, but Bastet told me that she was hardly ever wrong. She told me that she saw darkness in my future. I guess that means…what it means. I'm sorry to have to leave you all in this way. Please know that I didn't want this; I will fight with everything I have until the end. I will try to change my future._

 _But maybe that future isn't up to me._

 _I don't know. I've never been one to be afraid of the future, just my past. I want to apologize for being such a coward of that past. It was because of all of you that I am the person I am today. Rick, you've always been there taking care of me ever since our mother died. We may only be half-siblings but I've always thought of you as more. You are the very essence of what a brother should be and I wouldn't trade you for anything in the world. We faced a lot of crazy stuff together but those times meant everything to me. They taught me to be strong, to laugh, to shake off the dust and keep walking. I was always happy to be by your side but I was always wondering when you'd find someone else to walk with you. Then you found Evie._

 _She is your other half. There's no other way to explain that except for the world to look to you two and find the meaning. Evie, I was so happy the day I got the letter from my brother asking me how he should ask you to marry him. I could hardly contain my joy when I stepped foot into your wedding and watched you two joined forever…mostly because I was finally getting the sister I always wanted. I could always talk to my brother but not about everything. I'm glad to be able to call you my friend, my sister-in-law, and my true sister._

 _Even you, Jonathan. You may be wily and a total goofball but you always had a way to make people smile and remember to take life a step at a time. I don't really know how any journey can be complete without you. But please, get a legal job and stop gambling. I need someone to look after things in my stead._

 _I didn't think it could get any better but then it did with the coming of your son into this world. Alex, you were a new lease on life for me. I love your energy, your eagerness to learn, and even your curiosity when it got us into trouble. Even still, I was happy to have you by my side as my partner in crime. I love you more than you will ever know and I want to you grow up as strong and as brave as your father, but as caring and as smart as your mother. Learn from your uncle despite his bad choices—sorry Jonathan—and grow up with his cunning. Don't forget to play and enjoy life. Always remember to pray. And never stop moving forward._

 _And Ardeth. Well. I don't really know what to write. I guess that I'm sorry. And thank you. Yeah, definitely thank you. I never trusted you when we first met, despite the draw I felt to you. What woman wouldn't be? You're something to look at. I never get tired of looking at you. Before I knew it, I had lost my heart to you. I never thought it would happen so fast but I guess they're right when they say love sneaks up on you. I thank you for being a protector, my protector. I thank you for aiding me in my research at the library. I thank you for the library. And on that note, I'm sorry about the library. I know I hurt you the day I left; I hurt myself. I left my heart behind without even knowing and I spent the next nine years trying to bury something that wasn't even there._

 _I'm so sorry. You will never know how much. Of all the things I can give you, I gave you the one thing that I will gladly never want back._

 _Ardeth, I leave you my heart._

The letter falls from his hands as the trembling becomes too much for him to handle. Ardeth's eyes are blurring over as he reaches down and draws Kat's body up off the ground and cradles her cold figure close to his chest. The world disappears from around him as the only sound that swallows him is the sound of his heart, her heart, shattering inside of him. He tucks her head away against his neck, willing his warmth to seep into her and revive her.

It's impossible, he knows, but he just can't accept it.

Arms wrapped around the person who had so swiftly become his very breath, his anchor, and his light, Ardeth weeps freely for the first time in forever. Kat will forever walk with him through this life even if she isn't there with him physically, and he knows that one day their souls will reunite whether it's in heaven or in another life time. Time will only tell.

And he will wait because he believes with his whole heart that fate binds everyone together with a band that can never be broken. That one hope makes it somehow possible for Ardeth, the madjai, the leader of his people, and sworn protector of man, to let go of the one who stole his heart forever.

That is…until the wind begins to blow and the sands lift into a gentle spiral off to their side. Evie is the first to gasp in alarm, "Rick… Ardeth…"

Ardeth looks up to his left just as the sands are taking on a partially solid form. He would've mistaken it for Kat herself if it isn't for the ancient Egyptian clothes draping over the slender woman's figure.

Bastet steps forward, leaving no footprints in the desert sands as the winds vanish and the sands sweep away. As she makes it to Ardeth's side, she kneels down with the grace of the Nile and her ghost of a hand touches his shoulder. He can feel the light pressure of it despite her not really being there.

Bastet's bright emerald green eyes, no longer glowing cat-like by the curse, look so normal and full of sorrow for him that he has to look away from the woman with his love's face. She moves her hand from his shoulder and presses it softly to the side of his face as to draw his broken gaze up to hers once more.

The sorrow in her own eyes deepens as if she's trying to tell him silently that she too feels his pain. That's when Bastet drops her emerald gaze to the corpse in his arms. She presses her trembling lips into a tight line and reaches out to touch Kat's cold cheek with her other hand.

She goes still for a long time as she takes a moment to breathe and scan her eyes to everyone around the group as if to include them in her silent apology. When she returns her eyes back to Ardeth's, Bastet takes his left hand from around his love's body and uncurls his stiff fist to place something cold into his palm. Then she lifts Kat's limp right hand and places it over whatever item she's left there, closing his fingers around hers as if joining them in marriage.

As soft as a wisp of cloud through the desert sky, Bastet leans down and places a kiss on their joined hands before the sands blow in again and her ghostly form is pulled away into the unknown beyond and away from their sights.

Ardeth drops his eyes to their hands still joined. Kat's once beautiful olive-toned skin is so pale and ghostly that he fears her body is even about to disappear from him as Bastet has just done. The thought makes him clench her hand tighter and draw it close to him as he drops his head again before another wave of tears can spill from him.

Everyone goes quiet once more, grieving in their own way while the bright sun above turns the world around them hotter and hotter with each passing moment, but it doesn't touch any of them.

"Mom," Alex's voice breaks the silence that builds around them. "Mom."

"Shh, Alex, what's wrong," Evie asks the young boy quietly as she tugs him close to her side.

"Look."

Ardeth wishes that they voices would just disappear, to leave him in the silence that has become his world, but something tugs at him to listen.

Evie's hand appears out of nowhere on the madjai's shoulder again and she shakes him lightly, "Ardeth!"

The urgency in her voice draws his head up to half-heartedly investigate what has he so riled up but the woman is staring down at Kat's hand in his. He follows her gaze to the small, pale fingers wrapped in his. A short moment later, one twitches weakly. His heart shudders in his chest and he jerks his eyes to Kat's still face.

It's like a light has been reignited inside of her, turning her pale skin back to its warm, rich glow. The winds circle around them abruptly, whipping at their clothes and the blood across her face and shirt vanish like crimson sands being carried off across the desert. It lifts her upper body up a little out of his arms and a breath is drawn into her chest, arching her head off his shoulder a ways before laying her back down quietly and blowing away off to God only knows where.

"Kat?" Rick exclaims.

"Say something!" Evie pleads.

"Aunt Kat, wake up!" Alex cries.

"Open those eyes!" Jonathan demands.

Ardeth drops her hand which has balled up inside his own, closing around whatever had been placed between their palms, and he pulls her even closer to his chest. His hand cups her cheek, rubbing his thumb urgently over her skin and under her eyes, urging them to open. His heart cries out to her, needing to beat again.

Kat groans.

His breath nearly stops as he whispers something low in Arabic to her ears, begging her to speak to him. The woman in his arms moves against him, rolling further into his body as if seeking warmth, and then her head turns up. Her eyelids flutter and open.

Those beautiful green eyes blink blindly for a moment, confusion settling in across her face at the black fabric of his robes, and her left hand tucked away across her stomach moves up weakly to finger the hem at his chest as if trying to decide what the pattern is supposed to mean.

She turns her eyes up and they meet his. The confusion melts away and changes to a smile. Ardeth's heart races to life as he draws her to him, wrapping his arms fully around her and crushing her to his chest as close as he can bring her. Her fresh sent, not of death, fills his senses to the point of almost being able to taste her. He trails a line of kisses across her bare shoulder to the base of her neck.

"Kat, are you okay?" Everyone's voices merge at once, crashing in around them and Ardeth is reminded suddenly that her family is here too. He releases her enough so that her brother and Evie and Alex and Jonathan can see to her as well.

"How do you feel?"

"Do you need anything?"

"Say something!"

Ardeth watches Kat closely, watching her eyes dart from everyone's face slowly as if trying to register all their requests simultaneously and failing epically. That frantic silence slowly switches from surprise and then to confusion as her green gaze drops to her right hand. He looks down at it too as she opens it up.

Inside her palm is a ring, gold and decorated with a dark malachite gem in the shape of a scarab. For a long moment, Kat's face is blank but then she takes note that Ardeth's hand still cradles hers on her lap, unable to release her, and she shifts her gaze from the ring then up to his face and then back again.

Her mouth opens, making Ardeth realize that she still hasn't spoken since opening her eyes, and shock covers her features, "I…hope you plan on taking me…on a date first."

Everyone breaks out into hysteria.

* * *

Author's Note:

Just FYI:

 _Italicized words:_ personal thoughts or sounds or words said in Egyptian language.

 ** _Italicized/Bolded words_** : power infused words of otherworldly beings said in Egyptian language (AKA: Imhotep or Bastet)


	19. Chapter 19

_Chapter 19 is a go!_

 _Thanks a bunch for your patience!_

 _-Ravyne_

 _(Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the 'MUMMY' movies or any of their characters. Just my characters Katherine and Bastet belong to me.)_

* * *

 **Life Forsakes Her**

 **Chapter 19:**

The moon is just starting to rise, lighting the world in a pale glow that softens the harsh lands of the desert. A small fire is lit to keep the warmth distributed from the cool wind whipping through the area and swirling the sands in a carefree dance.

Rick, Evie, and Ardeth still sit up around the blaze atop the chairs they pulled from the dirigible deck while Jonathan snores softly nearby alongside a sleepy Alex and an exhausted Kat.

They had set up camp, the events of the day draining them all, and had a comfortable retelling of old times. Rick and Kat had even finally told Evie the full story of the bank job from Marrakesh…though Rick got an earful from his wife concerning the belly dancer girl.

Alex himself, glued to his aunt's side after breaking down in apology for blaming her for his mother and receiving a huge hug from Kat to calm him, had joined the conversation and asked for more details about his 'aunt' Bastet. Everyone had been caught off guard by the endearing title he had plastered in front of the Egyptian woman's name, all except for Kat. Her answering smile had been brilliant as she had pulled the young kid onto her knee where she sat on her chair and hugged him close.

She told all she could remember.

Ardeth couldn't take his eyes from her the entire time they reminisced about old stories and mistakes and lessons and jokes. He hadn't realized how much she glowed around her family, like the northern star on the darkest night. Could he take her from them and stand to watch that light fade?

Now, that question still haunts him as he watches her from where he sits by the fire. She had fallen asleep quite quickly from seven days of no sleep. Evie had helped her set up a roll of bedding for her, giving her a blanket to throw over her as she laid back to rest against her weapon bag. Alex had set his bedding right next to her and curled his head right up on her stomach. They had both passed out almost immediately.

Even asleep, Ardeth can tell how much love she has for Alex, her arm draped protectively over his shoulders as he breathes smoothly on his side. He had become so special to her and now Ardeth understands why. She would never have children of her own; can he bear to take her from her nephew as well?

"Ardeth?"

He turns back to the fire where the conversation has quieted to avoid waking any of those who have chosen the peaceful dreams of slumber. Evie smiles at him as if knowing what's going on through his head.

"Where will you go from here?" Rick asks.

"I will see you returned to your home safely," the madjai answers almost too quickly.

Rick raises an eyebrow and a suspicious glance towards his sister, "You don't need to return to your people? I mean, they just faced down a whole army of undead dogs."

Ardeth leans forward and rests his elbow on his knees, "I should."

"Should?" Evie's mouth tilts in a slow smile. "But won't? Why the sudden need for a vacation?"

"I didn't know madjai took vacations," Rick rubs his right wrist as he stares down at the madjai tattoo marking him as a protector of man.

Ardeth just smiles down at the fire.

* * *

Kat thought she would sleep for days once her eyes shut when the exhaustion hit; strangely enough she only slept seven hours before popping up like an energetic bunny on the first morning of spring.

 _Guess that's what they call a power nap_ , she thinks as she rubs her eyes. The sun is just barely starting to turn the deep blue sky purple when Kat finally looks around the camp. The dirigible is still sitting silently where it was the night before, Izzy's feet propped up on the deck railing while the rest of his body is hidden from sight. Jonathan is sprawled out across his back with his mouth hanging open as the loud snores echo out of his mouth. Rick and Evie are curled up on the other side of the dead fire, his arm wrapped around her waist to clasp her hand gentle across her belly. Alex's head must've decided it liked the still ground verses the rise and fall of her stomach during the night because he now lies on his bedding with his feet towards her head and his blanket tucked over his head, leaving only a few wisps of his blonde hair sticking out to be seen.

Kat smiles down at the small boy, wondering what he could be dreaming about. She surely hopes it's not nightmares about being bound in chains…

There's a slight movement that makes her jerk her head in the opposite direction. Down by her feet, Ardeth's dark form sleeps soundly. His back is turned to her, placing him on his side, but Kat can see the slow rise and fall of his body as he breathes.

Whatever had possessed him to sleep at her feet, she's not sure, but she finds herself hoping that he placed himself there to watch over her. The thought makes her smile again.

 _Katherine…_

Her smile drops square off her face as a gentle wind dances through the camp instead of over the tops of the dunes. For a second there, she thought she heard someone call her name but for the wind to talk…that's impossible.

 _Katherine…_

 _Okay, that time I wasn't hearing things!_ , she thinks, climbing quietly to her feet and reaching for a knife on reflex. Her fingers find nothing and she curses herself. Just because the curse was broken and Kat was somehow brought back from death doesn't give her a reason to get slack on her practices. She's never gone to bed without a knife close by within reaching distance. _Guess I can blame the exhaustion for clouding my mind_ , she rolls her eyes.

There's a soft, mocking laughter and Kat stops breathing. Her eyes shift to her left where the laughter had come from and they climb up to the top of the dune where the light from the rising sun is beginning to set the top of it on fire.

There's a familiar figure standing there with the light behind them, casting them in shadow. Kat's heart leaps excitedly as she rushes as quietly up the sand dune as she can without waking her family.

Bastet's welcoming smile greets her as she approaches and they embrace like old friends seeing each other after years apart.

"You're okay!" Kat laughs weakly as tears start to burn the corners of her eyes.

" _Yes, thanks to you_ ," Bastet replies in Egyptian. Though she has never learned it, Kat figures that it's her connection with Bastet that allows her to understand it. The woman's voice had been so charged with power before, now it rings like a chorus of beautiful bells.

Kat pulls away to smile at her directly, "I didn't do anything. It was all you."

" _Without your guidance, I would have killed my brother. I would have been lost for eternity. You saved me, Kat._ " Bastet keeps hold of Kat's hands as she speaks, " _I have no idea how I will ever repay you or your family. They have suffered much because of the choices I made. I am so very sorry._ "

"Just promise me you won't do it again," Kat raises an eyebrow and Bastet laughs.

" _Never again._ "

They share a good laugh, glad to finally be reunited after being separated by…well…Kat dying, but then that joy turns to sadness. Kat sighs heavily and stares down at their hands. Though fully visible, Bastet's form does glow faintly around the edges, almost as if she's not really here before her.

Her shoulders drop, "You're leaving now…aren't you?"

Bastet's smile turns sad and she nods, tears of her own forming in her eyes, " _My time in this world is over._ "

"But…" Kat's voice trails off. "I thought you were a part of me. I'm your reincarnation or something right?"

" _I will always be a part of you, Kat. That will not soon change. But think of Evie; does she have communications with her past life? Is she able to speak to Nefertiri?_ "

"Well, no, but…"

" _That is because she only sees the memories of her past life. That is how I should be to you: nothing but memories. It is how things are meant to be,_ " Bastet tells her. When Kat doesn't respond except to shake her head, the woman smiles and gives their joined hands a soft shake, " _Listen to me, I will always be with you. My memories will always be there inside of you. If you miss me, you have only to look within you. I will be there._ "

"But just as memories," Kat replies flatly.

" _I am you,_ " Bastet leans closer so that Kat is forced to look up at her, as if an older sister is scolding a younger one. " _That will never change. This curse, this…experience, has made us into something that has never been seen before. We are…a new kind of something. We were joined across time and history to fight as one. Though I leave you in life, I will never leave you in spirit. I will walk with you even though you cannot see or hear me._ "

"Like my mom said before she died," Kat blinks once and a tear falls down her face. A mirrored image falls down Bastet's face as well as she pulls Kat close to embrace her.

" _Everyone dies, Katherine, but that does not mean they come to an end. As you have rejoined me with my brother and family and friends, we too shall be reunited again one day,_ " Bastet tightens her hug and Kat does the same. For a long moment, they just stand there and take comfort in the other during their moment of sorrow but Bastet finally pulls away to look her in the eye again firmly. " _I will always be with you, I will never forget you. I love you, my friend, my sister._ "

"My sister," Kat smiles back through her tears.

The winds blow around them suddenly and Bastet's image begins to blur a little as she turns her smile out towards the brightening horizon beyond. Kat follows her gaze. The sun is beginning to turn the horizon to flame and the glare across the sand dunes ripples the air slightly above them and the colors turn to figures. Kat gasps a little in alarm.

Before them, Imhotep stands with a polite, patient smile as he gazes down at them. Kat takes a step closer to Bastet who chuckles softly at her response.

" _You know,_ " the Egyptian woman smiles, " _I decided to take your advice._ "

Kat raises an eyebrow at the woman again, "My advice?"

" _When we walked my memories before and you told me that I should give love a chance?_ " Bastet motions back in Imhotep's direction and Kat looks up just to see another man walk into existence beside the priest and smile down at them with a stiff bow. Tattoos mark his cheeks and forehead.

Kat points up at the man, mouth gapping unattractively like a fish, "That's-!"

Bastet's smile widens, " _Anen._ "

"So you two…?"

She turns to glance at Kat, " _I am giving true love a chance. Surprisingly…we have much more in common than I first believed. I also found out that he is the ancestor of your madjai…explains a lot does it not?_ " Bastet nudges her lightly in jest as Kat's jaw drops. " _But you were right about him. I am glad._ "

Kat's grin turns teasing as she nudges her, "Told you so."

Instead of taking her bait, Bastet's bell-like laughter paints the wind around them as she turns Kat towards her again and takes her hands in hers like she once had. Her next words come out spoken and yet are so filled with energy that they sound almost like a song:

 _ **I am facing my fears and now you need to face yours.**_

 _ **I love you, my sister, and I pray for the opening of all your doors.**_

 _ **Give love a chance and never let it go.**_

 _ **Open up your heart and let all of yourself glow.**_

 _ **Take my blessing upon you but always know this:**_

 _ **Though a simple gift, it is not something you need easily dismiss.**_

 _ **For the power from me to you will flow…**_

 _ **And this gift I give you will only grow, and grow, and grow…**_

Bastet then leans forward, gently kisses Kat on the forehead, and a shiver unlike any she's experienced before races down Kat's spine and then back up to the crown of her head. Kat jerks back in surprise, holding up her hands as her skin almost starts to glitter for a second until it vanishes as quickly as it had come.

"Uh…what did you do?" Kat inquires a bit worriedly.

Bastet smiles wide, flashing teeth that almost look cat-like, and answers, " _Just a tiny gift for all you have done for me…for us._ " She motions towards the two men hovering in the air a little away from them and the sun has started to set the edges of their features on fire as well as Bastet's. Taking Kat's hand one last time in her own, she brings it up between them so the rings she had given her comes into view of them both, " _Thank you…so much…for everything._ "

With that, she starts backing away, her feet disappearing as she walks back into the air towards the two men. Kat holds onto her spiritual sister's hands as long as she can until their fingers slip from each other's and Bastet joins her brother in the sky. Imhotep takes one hand while Anen wraps an arm over her shoulders and she around his waist before they all turn back to Kat below.

Bastet smiles and waves the hand she takes from Imhotep before placing it back in his and Kat returns the gesture as another tear falls down her face.

" _Remember,_ " Bastet calls, her voice fading by the second as the sun rises and burns them from the sky, " _I will always be with you._ "

Kat's heart darkens a bit as a lonely hole opens in her chest, a hole that had once been filled with the presence of a dear friend. Perhaps one day it will be less heavy and painful but Kat knows that day will take time to come. And she's willing to wait; as Bastet had said: they will always be a part of each other.

A shifting begins inside of her and Kat blinks abruptly at the strange occurrence, grasping at the front of her shirt tightly. What the heck has Bastet done to her?

"Wow."

Kat nearly jumps out of her skin, only the stirrings inside her chest moving outward from her core keep her rooted. The energy spreads out from her chest and shivers down her spine. She looks down at herself in wonder.

"What was all that about?" Jonathan adds.

Speaking absentmindedly since she's too fascinating by what's going on inside of her, Kat continues to check over herself as her mouth opens, "Bastet was saying her goodbyes."

"Who was that other guy with her? And why was she so chummy with Imhotep? I thought he was the bad guy here?" Rick inquires.

The energy begins to tingle down her arms and legs and she starts rubbing at the goosebumps rising on her flesh along its path, "Yeah, they're good now. The other guy was Anen, Ardeth's ancestor."

"What?" Evie gasps.

"Cool!" Alex chuckles.

"Yeah, ironic, ain't it?" Kat replies vaguely as the energy bubbles all the way into her toes and fingers. She can feel a weird, but not uncomfortable, tingling behind her eyes and something happens to her vision.

"So what did she say?" Rick's tone is becoming more impatient by the second.

Realization hits Kat square in the stomach as her vision sharpens and she remembers one of Bastet's memories from ancient times. The woman had been named at birth because of her strange eyes… She was also gifted with a strong talent for discernment… Bastet also said something just then about…some power flowing from her to Kat…wait…

Kat's eyes widen down at her hand as the very top edge of her fingernails glows like a white hot iron and start to extend. A grins starts to form on her lips as she answers her brother, "She said her goodbyes and then gave me a gift and said I had to use it to protect my family."

Sure, the last part is a bit of a lie but she has her reasons.

Rick scoffs, "Yeah, right. What kind of 'gift' was that and how are you going to use it to protect all of us?"

Kat turns back to look over her shoulder at them, cat-like eyes glowing neon green with a mischievous sparkle.

* * *

Author's Note:

Just FYI:

 _Italicized words:_ personal thoughts or sounds or words said in Egyptian language.

 ** _Italicized/Bolded words_** : power infused words of otherworldly beings said in Egyptian language (AKA: Imhotep or Bastet)


	20. Chapter 20

_Bonus Chapter is a go!_

 _Thanks a bunch for your patience!_

 _-Ravyne_

 _(Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the 'MUMMY' movies or any of their characters. Just my characters Katherine and Bastet belong to me.)_

* * *

 **Life Forsakes Her**

 **Bonus Chapter:**

The dirigible has taken to the skies once again for the long journey home only this time it's filled with joy instead of tension and anxiety. The nights are even colder high in the air but the fire pit keeps them all warm against the onslaught of the wind that whips around them.

Ever since waking up from death and into his arms, Kat has been dreading the conversation awaiting her. Since their kiss at Ahm Shere, Kat knows that things have changed too much to be ignored so they will have to discuss things now. She's put it off as long as she can, hovering in the safe hearing distance of her brother or Evie or Jonathan or…well, anyone really. Her nerves are tearing her insides up like nothing she's ever been through.

Bastet's words still haunt her, pushing her to take hold of her courage and face her fears….

 _But DANG it's hard!_ , Kat groans in her head.

"You alright?" Rick asks around a mouthful of food.

Kat's head shoots straight up off her knees and she fights off the heat clawing up her neck, "Y-yeah, just…ate too fast."

"It's not going anywhere," her brother scoffs, "There's plenty here for everyone."

"I know." The food sure had been plentiful; there are still leftovers despite Kat's lack of food for the past seven days. One would think the young woman would be eating double the amount of everyone else but that's not the case tonight. At least not the way she's feeling right now. Her stomach is in knots and making her queasy.

"Well, we ate later than we should have. Alex, I don't like you going to sleep with all this on your stomach but it's time to get to bed," Evie turns to her son.

"Oh, not now!" The kid's argument dies under his mother's strict glare. Kat winces sympathetically; she wouldn't wish one of Evie's mother-glares on anyone. They could kill with one look.

"Don't worry, kiddo, I'm right behind you," Rick stretches.

"What?!" Kat's voice cracks in a panic which she tries to swallow.

"Yeah, it's late and all this excitement has drained me."

"You slept it off last night!"

Rick eyes her questioningly, "Not enough. What's up with you? You should be more exhausted than anyone."

Kat's eyes widen at the great idea, "You know, you're right. I am exhausted. I should probably go pass out." She quickly climbs to her feet, faking a stretch and a yawn, before skipping up the steps to the back of the deck past Izzy, "Good night all!"

"Good night," respond a choir of voices, one a bit more dulled than the others.

She's almost past Izzy's post when her guilt slams into her. Bastet's voice comes echoing back into her head.

 _I am facing my fears and now you must face yours…_

Kat groans. If Bastet could face up to her fears, what's stopping her?! She's not a coward!

 _Geez, yes, I am!_ , she curses herself. Shaking her head, Kat spins back around just as Rick and Evie are heading to the front of the deck to put their son to bed and also hit the sack, leaving only Jonathan and Ardeth talking around the fire.

"Well, I don't know about everyone else but I could stay up all night," Jonathan folds his hands back behind his head and stretches out his feet towards the fire as he grins proudly where he sits. His eyes dart up when Kat appears back at the top of the step and her glare wipes the grin right off his face. She jerks her head to one side, a clear signal for him to change that statement, and that's just what he does.

Jonathan swiftly changes his comfortable posture as if never missing a beat, and fakes a yawn of his own, "But you know, a little sleep wouldn't hurt. Good night."

"Good night," Ardeth answers a bit confused. His back it to Kat so he doesn't see her practically pulling her hair out silently behind him. Izzy watches her as if she's gone nuts, glancing sideways at the madjai below them and then back up at her.

Kat's hand reaches down to tap the man on his shoulder only to jerk back and bite her finger, pacing back and forth in frustration while she fights her own thoughts, _Just tap his shoulder! Get it over with! No, it'll end badly! He'll hate me! I'll disgust him! Then live forever wondering what would've happened! You don't know! Yes, I do! No, you don't! Yes, I do! No, you don't!_

"UGH!" she growls, stomping her foot.

"Katherine?"

Her back goes ridged as she freezes into stone. She turns around slowly to find Ardeth and Izzy staring in straight up worry at her. Kat's sheepish smile is jumpy as she swallows the lump building at the back of her throat. Her eyes quickly cut to Izzy and she narrows her eyes.

"I'll give you ten bucks to get lost," Kat bribes.

"You're brother paid me more than that to get you lot here," he shoots back with a glare of his own.

"Did he also offer not to shoot you?" she raises her eyebrows and his expression turns stern.

"Hands off my helm!" he warns, jabbing a finger at her, before disappearing to the front deck. Ardeth steps forward to allow him room to escape before turning back to her.

"He's paranoid," Kat swallows as she chews at her thumbnail. "It really wasn't my fault that I crashed his first plane. Rick tricked me into drinking while we were playing cards, he knows I don't pay attention to anything else when I'm playing cared…it'll never happen again, I swear. It was a one time thing."

"You're nervous."

Kat freezes solid.

"Did you have fun?" Ardeth's deep accent sends a shiver across her skin as he chuckles. His expression is innocently curious, bringing a smile to her own face and untightening the muscles in her stomach.

"I don't know," she chuckles with a shrug. "Can't remember."

They share a small laugh as they turn to the banister and stare out across the night sky. With each passing second, Kat's stomach retightens into a mass of knotted nerves and her tongue starts to twist up again at the thought of the conversation before her. But again, Bastet's words push her forward.

"Ardeth," her voice comes out like a choked whisper and Kat winces. Why can't she not sound like she's about to puke? "We need to talk."

Ardeth only responds by turning to face her fully, placing his full attention on her. She wishes he wouldn't; it's only making her feel worse. Her breath catches in her throat and her breathing becomes next to impossible as she cowers under his dark gaze. Unable to meet his eyes, she drops her own to her thumbs where she picks at her nails harshly.

"So this is what has made you so uneasy this night?" Ardeth reaches out and brushes her hair behind her ear. Goosebumps rise on her skin and shoot down her neck while the heat slithers back up behind it probably as red as an apple.

 _Don't touch me so easily_ , Kat wants to scream. _You'll be disgusted!_ She turns away from his touch slowly and steps into the shadows of the back deck. "I didn't want to have this conversation but…things have changed. It wouldn't be fair for me to keep lying to you," she tells him.

"How are you lying to me?" he asks as he follows her.

"By keeping the truth from you."

Ardeth goes silent as Kat's words settle around them and she starts to wonder if he's left her already, deserted her in her guilt, but then he speaks so carefully and so softly she has to turn her head to hear him, "If you are speaking of… Your brother informed us of the accident that left you unable to bear children."

Red hot heat surges up her body, straight up her neck, and flashes across her face, "What?!"

Ardeth takes her shoulders in his hands when she turns on him in a rage. " _Albi_ ," he whispers in his language, "Rest easy, your brother meant you no harm."

"It wasn't his place!" she shrugs his hands off her shoulders and tries to turn away but he pulls her back towards him. Kat drops her head and wishes that she had left her hair down hours ago so that it was here now to hide away her shame.

"Your brother spoke out of love for you; he was trying to help bridge a gap from you to your family. He brought them closer to you. Would you really wish ill of him knowing this now?"

Kat squeezes her eyes shut against the onslaught of tears threatening to humiliate her even more only for Ardeth's hand to come up and rest on her cheek. His large, warm palm might as well swallow her whole face, his fingers extending to brush the hollow behind her ear and down along her jaw line leaving behind a icy hot trail along her flesh. Ardeth sweeps his thumb tenderly under her eyelashes, urging her to open her eyes, and hesitantly she does so.

"Would you?"

She shifts her eyes away from his piercing gaze and shakes her head.

"Then why do you still lash out?"

Kat drops her head with a heavy sigh, feeling the warmth of his hand disappear, "It's not just the whole…no kids thing…"

Ardeth reaches up again to brush the few strands escaping the twist at the back of her head from her face and wind them around his fingers as he listens to her, "Speak to me, _hayete_."

Kat squeezes her eyes shut again as her stomach twists tighter, the feeling of his hand through her hair doing making her head spin, "It's…hard for me to say. I haven't talked about it to anyone, not even my brother, since I was twelve. I've buried it so deep now…I can't even say it anymore."

Ardeth's hand stops twirling her hair so that he can turn his eyes to her profile. She's pressed her lips into a tight line, drawing her face up as if she's in physical pain. He drops her hair and wraps his hand around the back of her exposed neck so that he can draw her stiff form against him.

Kat doesn't melt into him, remaining as rigid as a board, but he still wraps his arms around her and kisses the top of her head. She only tightens.

"You do not have to speak of it. I will wait as long as you need-."

"No," she hisses through her teeth as she tries to push against him. He allows his arms to go slack so that she doesn't feel trapped and she shoves away from his body. Instead of running as he fears she will do, Kat reaches out to grip the front of his robes and cries, "Don't you dare do that! It's not fair to you. I can't…do this…we can't…not while I'm like this. I can't be a coward and be with you!"

"Then speak to me, _albi_. I will not turn from you. My path is firmly set alongside yours and there it will stay," Ardeth answers her slowly, placing his hands over hers and staring sternly into her eyes to make sure she understands every word.

Kat's frustration melts off her face as hopelessness starts to take hold, "You don't know what you're saying. You don't understand. You don't-!"

"Then help me to understand-."

"I'm disfigured, Ardeth!" she rips her hands from his and backs away, breathing heavily. "I'm broken! You don't want me," tears blur her vision over and Kat collapses back against the railing as she covers her face with her hands. Sobs make her shoulders shudder as she breaks down after years of damming the truth up within her and then having it all come bursting out of her in a flood.

Almost immediately, she's wrapped up in the warmth of Ardeth's arms. He cloaks her from the night within his embrace so that her face is cradled against his chest and her tears are only seen by his own eyes. One of his hands trails up her back to gently massage circles into the back of her neck while the other folds around her waist to hold her to him so she doesn't crumple to the deck.

All while she breaks down, Ardeth just holds her to him, massaging her neck and rocking her gently while he hums something low in his language. The combination of it all soothes her like a rush of warm water and cool wind. She's not sure how long she cries or how long he holds her but his words finally stop blurring together between her sobs and she turns her head to the side so that her eyes stare out towards the horizon behind the dirigible and the sound of his heart beat fills her ears, giving a rhythm to the lullaby he sings to her.

As her cries finally come to a rest and the sobs stop shaking her, Kat opens her eyes slowly and whispers, "What does it mean? Your song?"

Ardeth's arms tighten as he moves his chin from the top of her head to rest his mouth against her forehead. His breath washes across her face and makes her shiver, "It is about the moon. Its lover was the oasis waters below but they could never touch but once a month when the moon was at its fullest."

"Sounds sad," she whispers back as she blinks her dry eyes.

"Not at all," Ardeth replies as he turns his head towards her so that he speaks against her skin, "It shows how strong love can be despite the obstacles it faces."

Kat's eyebrows pull together as a stab of pain pinches her heart, "It obviously hasn't met my obstacle."

Ardeth stops rocking her with a pause but then he kisses her forehead with so much adoration that it melts her insides to goo, "It has…many times. And as with all the other times, it will prevail now as well."

She can't help but shake her head hopelessly.

He pulls back, surprising her, and presses his lips to hers ever so achingly gentle that she just wants to cry all over again. She can feel his emotions for her, flooding into her through his very touch, and yet all she can seem to do is feel herself shattering in response. Ardeth pulls back slowly as if trying to make the kiss last longer, to delay the inevitable parting, but then presses warm kisses to her eyes, her nose, her cheeks, then down along her jaw and neck.

Ardeth comes up for air and presses the side of his face to hers so that his breath caresses her ear, " _Ahebbouka, albi._ "

"Huh?" she asks unintelligently, mind spinning.

"I love you."

Her mind clears almost instantly, sharper than she's ever experienced in her life. Her jaw goes slack, "Y-you…you c…can't-."

"I love you," he says into her temple. "I love your laugh, I love your tears, I love your smile, I love your independence, I love your eyes, and I love your heart. I love you for everything you are, even your faults. I love you for you. I cannot breathe without you. You are my sun, my rain, my air, my life, and my heart. Without you, I am only half and incomplete, lifeless. With you, I am whole. I never knew love before you came into my life and I will never know it again if you leave, _albi_. You are my everything and I wish to be yours if you will have me. You will never be in want of anything. I will never give you reason to doubt or worry whether my love for you is real."

Ardeth pauses suddenly as if coming to realization of something terrible and the light in his face dims heartbreakingly so as he takes a step away from her and drops his hands from her arms, "Unless you do not feel the same. I will not intrude on you any longer-."

Heart practically dying from the distance between them, she pulls him back to her with a sharp jerk and wraps her arms around his neck, standing on her toes so she can fully press her lips to his. He reacts on contact, enfolding his arms around her waist to bring her closer. She conveys all that she feels through her kiss, hoping with all her heart that he can understand.

Pulling apart for air some time later, their faces remain close until Kat swallows nervously, realizing what she's doing, and drops back to her heels, "You're not intruding. The question is…do you want someone who is broken?"

"Everyone is broken, _hayete_ ," Ardeth smiles with a soft, quick kiss to her lips. "That is why God made each of us a matching pair, to fill in each other's hearts to make us whole as one. I will never want anyone else."

Kat's answering smile is true as she takes in his words to her heart and locks them away there. She retightens her arms around his neck, loving that he does the same around her waist, and lets her fingers explore through his dark hair.

"You better not forget those words," she tells him with a challenging look in her eyes.

He bows his head to meet her challenge and rests his forehead against hers, "I have a feeling you will never let me."

"So right you are," Kat teases before pulling him in close to continue their kiss, no longer feeling the chains once binding her heart up in a cage.

* * *

Author's Note:

Just FYI:

 _Italicized words:_ personal thoughts or sounds or words said in Egyptian language.

 ** _Italicized/Bolded words_** : power infused words of otherworldly beings said in Egyptian language (AKA: Imhotep or Bastet)


	21. Chapter 21

_The Afterward is a go!_

 _Thanks a bunch for your patience!_

 _-Ravyne_

 _(Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the 'MUMMY' movies or any of their characters. Just my characters Katherine and Bastet belong to me.)_

* * *

 **Life Forsakes Her**

 **Afterward:**

"Do you always keep your house so disorderly?" Jonathan gaps from the doorway where they all huddle like slack jawed children just given the keys to the biggest candy store in the world.

"No," she responds just as dumbfounded.

Kat had pushed open the ajar door not a minute before to reveal the chaotic mess of her apartment within. The dirigible had landed in Cairo about thirty minutes ago, Izzy was nice enough to bring them all a bit closer to the main airfield that would allow for passage home for Rick and his family, only for one of the pilots on duty at the airfield to come running up asking for Kat O'Connell. She had accepted the urgent message from him when he told her that some woman had been there an hour ago to wait impatiently for her arrival only to finally give up and leave.

Kat had read the message, a short one with only two lines, and it was enough to send her weapon bag to the ground and her rushing off the airfield with the men following after her in alarm.

The message had been from one of the other tenants of the building who she had become friends with since moving in there. The woman had offered to keep an eye on her apartment while Kat was gone.

Well, she'd done her job. Kat just hadn't been back in enough time.

Now the insides of her apartment lay in ruin before her as she gazes through the doorway at the mess. She reaches up and taps the gun still in the holster at Rick's side, "You should be pulling that out right about now."

Her words barely leave her mouth as she pulls out her knife from her belt and feels the sharpening of her gaze as her eyes begins to swirl. Kat takes one step through her doorway and immediately starts taking note of anything that may be missing. What few books she has are thrown precariously off the shelves and across the floor, paperwork and folders jumbled randomly along with it from their previous place on her desk nearby. Her couch and arm chair have been tilted over, a few pictures off her walls have been tossed, and even her small kitchen—if you can call it such—has been run through.

"Anything missing?" Rick asks as the men step lightly through the chaos of the main room.

Kat's eyebrows pull together, "Weirdly enough…no. That's what's got me so confused. Nothing's gone, none of my books, none of my information from my desk…" She kicks the bottom of her arm chair and a yellow envelope drops out of a hidden slot underneath. She picks it up and holds it out, "They didn't even take my emergency money. And I didn't even hide it that well."

"How much do you have?"

Kat shoves Jonathan's greedy hands away without throwing a single look his way, "Go check the kitchen."

"Right."

"So why would they break in?" her brother wonders.

"Maybe they thought I was here," she shrugs. Ardeth's eyes instantly jerk to where she stands and she grins sheepishly, "Just a thought."

"If they were after you, they wouldn't have wasted all this energy to destroy your house. Maybe this is a vendetta kind of deal. Have you peeved anyone off lately?" Rick pokes around what remains on her desk absentmindedly.

"I just sleep here," Kat rolls her eyes. "I don't talk to anybody except the nice lady down the hall on this floor."

"Would anyone hold malice towards something you or your brother did in the past?" Ardeth asks, looking up from where he kneels on the floor flipping through one of the tossed books.

Kat runs her fingers over her head with a shrug, "I don't keep up with every wrong doing my brother's ever done—shut up, Rick—and if I've done anything it wouldn't warrant any of this… I guess maybe the only other thing is that maybe they thought this was someone else's place or…" Her eyes have trailed off down the dark hallway towards her room and she finds the door wide open.

Something she's never done.

Her eyes widen in terror as she grasps the situation, "Oh no."

"What?" Rick and Ardeth leap to their feet, each one pulling out a weapon.

"Oh no, no, no!" Kat takes off down the hall and skids to a stop in her room. Across the way, past the only dresser she has, a picture she had framed about five years ago hangs weirdly from the wall like a door, revealing an open safe behind it in the wall. She grabs her head in panic, "Shoot!"

"Language! What's wrong?" Rick and Ardeth pause on either side of her and follow her gaze. "A safe behind a picture, Kat? Can you be any more predictable?"

"Shut up!" she goes to the safe, pushing the picture and the door aside so she can get better access to the inside. Only a few pictures from her past with Rick and Alex and Evie sit inside, all else is gone. Of course, there hadn't been but one other item inside before the intruder broke in. They obviously knew what they were after.

"What'd they get?" Jonathan asks around a mouthful of stolen sandwich from Kat's refrigerator, skidding to a stop behind Rick and Ardeth.

"Not sure yet. Kat?" Rick ushers.

Kat slams the door shut and the picture back over it angrily only to stop mid-rage. There is a knife stuck through the picture of her, her brother, and their mother from years ago when Kat was still very young. The knife itself is stabbed directly through her face in particular, where her younger self stands by her mother's knee and grasps the woman's hand.

A piece of paper is held to the picture with the knife and she rips it off. Unfolding it, she stares down at the black and white photo in her hands. The words written on it stand out perfect like blood on sand: _you should've left it buried._

"Well, at least I know who took it," she snarls as she passes the picture to her brother.

"I thought this guy died in Ahm Shere? We saw the Scorpion King rip him apart, remember?" he hands the picture back to Kat who is shaking his head.

"Remember when I told you he had a twin? Ardeth, do you still have that picture you showed us before at Rick's house?" The madjai reaches into his robes and pulls out the one in question and Kat places them side by side for them to see, "Hafez had a twin. He was the one I mentioned before…only…I don't think it was Hafez who was killed by the Scorpion King."

"What?" Jonathan's jaw goes slack. "But he was leading those cult members."

"I think he had traded places with his brother right before they found Imhotep at Hamunaptra so that Hafez could take care of…something else. Now that I think back on it, maybe he knew I was on to him and that's why he brought in his double," Kat sighs.

"What was he after, Kat?" Rick pushes the pictures she holds up in the air down so he can face her directly.

Kat grins sheepishly as she turns towards her dresser drawers beside her. Throwing the pictures on top, she pulls open the top drawer, empty of any contents, and starts messing around with the wood panel at the bottom.

Rick glances in curiously, throwing his sister a suspicious look, "You have a dresser but you don't use it?"

"All my stuff is packed in a duffle bag under my bed. Speaking of which can you grab that for me?" Kat says as she works to lift the panel. Rick reaches under the edge of the bed and sure enough he finds a bag already packed beneath.

"Why do you have this?"

"I'm always ready to leave at a moment's notice," she explains. "And after all this, I think it's best if I move to a new location since some bad people know where I am now. Ah! Here it is." Kat pulls out a small, narrow book from under the panel and starts fiddling with the strap binding it closed, "You remember that story mom used to tell us as kids, the one about the legendary stone? The Killing Stone?"

Rick tosses her bag over his shoulder before narrowing his eyes in skepticism, "You mean the **bed time story**?"

Kat presses her lips together, turning one side up, before flipping through the book and stopping on a certain page. Turning it around for all of them to see, she steadies her gaze, "Not just a bed time story."

Rick's eyes finish scanning the page and the photo taped at the end, his expression becoming more shocked with each line he reads, before looking back up at his sister.

"Yeah," she nods. "I found it."

* * *

~THE END~

* * *

Author's Note:

 _For real this time! LOL_

 _Thanks everyone for reading. Love you all so very much! If you have the time, please leave a review and let me know what you think._

 _-Ravyne_


	22. Chapter 22

**Life Forsakes Her**

 **UPDATE**

 _So I know this isn't exactly a chapter BUT this does help in the continuation of the story so by all accounts it actually is a chapter. I just wanted to let you all know that I've been going back over this second part of the story and fixing some errors that I've noticed and also…I've gotten to chapter 4 on the next installment! Yay!_

 _I'm really sorry that it's taken so long but I've been charged by Katt to start doing my job as a writer the right way and planning my stories out before starting them so that I'm not running into writer's block half way through. Ugh! It's harder than it sounds._

 _Anyhoo, I figured I'd give y'all a short little preview of what's to come to hold you over until I actually release it so I'll post it below._

 _Thanks for your patience ( **and I hope you like the new title** ),_

 _Rayvne_

* * *

 **"Time Torments Her"**

 _ **Prologue:**_

 _Kat,_

 _It's been a long time, nearly four months in fact. How have you been? Are you settling in alright? Has Ardeth been behaving himself? If he hasn't, you best tell him that I'll be having a talk with him to put him straight. I miss you so, we all do. Alex misses you terribly. He's always asking to write to you and wants to know if we've received a letter from you every day. Though we've been in constant contact, we miss having your presence here. You need to come see us soon._

 _Speaking of, it may have to be very soon._

 _There is a reason that I'm writing to you. Your brother and I have been looking into your information, doing some research of our own alongside you, and we think we've found something. There's an island off the coast of Italy where we have heard a prisoner is being held that can probably help us. He too went in search for the stone you spoke of and he may be able to give us more information on it. Maybe with this information we can figure out what the thief wants to do with it._

 _I know I'm bringing this information forward at a difficult time since the last we heard you told us you were busy training but Rick has a strong feeling that if we don't look into this now we may not get another chance. I feel the same way._

 _Please write back soon. We love to have updates about your new life._

 _We love you so very much,_

 _Evie_


End file.
